Made for the students, by the students. Updated April 2015
Army-Baylor Student Guide for Incoming Navy Students
Updated April 2015
Made for the students, by the students.
Table of Contents
Residency
List………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..11
Orders
The Class of 2016 received orders to Fort Sam Houston around mid to late March.
The Class of 2016 received orders to residency locations around the same timeframe
(but you will have an inkling in December/January where you will be going).
Your Navy academic advisor (CAPT Downs as of 2015) will work with your detailer to for your residency orders, but the Army-Baylor residency coordinator (LTC Cuyler as of 2015) will coordinate residency placement.
What is a Day Like
MBA/MHA Students: The dual-degree program schedule is steady throughout didactic phase for semesters 1 thru 4 consists of six courses per term. Typically
Mon-Thurs (usually), 0800-1500, with a one-hour lunch break, but the class can
“negotiate” a slightly different schedule. The last term lasts one month only and consists primarily of short seminars and the capstone course.
MHA Students: the course load is lighter with a few electives that required. Starkest contrast in time is found in the latter semesters, but your course load can be equivalent to the MBA students depending on which and how many elective you decide to take.
The curriculum starts right up with the first semester being very task intensive.
There are many assignments such as homework, papers, quizzes, presentations, and tests. Depending on your personality and if you are shooting for a 4.0, be prepared to spend many nights and weekends working on schoolwork. There is so much reading that you will need to choose which classes you read for and which classes you will need to skim. The class work is not beyond comprehension (except maybe a few Microeconomics and Quant problems); it is the quantity and the intensity that makes it challenging. Many deliverables will be due every week. The more you can stay ahead with readings and assignments you know in advance, the better off you will be. Establish a routine that works for you quickly.
A class schedule will be given to you for each semester. Plan on that potentially changing as the semester goes along. Some days there will be extra review sessions thrown in by the professor for later that same day, sometimes events will be scheduled on the Friday you were “supposed” to have off.
Overall, you will likely be busier during the didactic year than at an MTF/normal assignment in some people’s opinion, but others would disagree. However, be prepared to be flexible with your schedule and inform your family that your schedule can and probably will change from day to day. Be sure to prepare your spouse and kids accordingly. Expectation management is key.
Uniform of the Day (UOD)
Initially, standard uniform of the day Mon-Fri will be ACUs.
Baylor Polos: We wear Baylor Polos with slacks/khakis the last school day of the week (usually Thursday). Your class will pick someone to order these. Previous classes mentioned this process took a while, but our class got them quickly. o Uniform guidelines can fluctuate during special occasions, site visits, or
Program Director/Class Leader instruction.
Business Attire/Suits: Will be directed for appropriate events (conferences, seminars) o
For more details on polos and suits go to “ Expenses to Plan For ”
Service Dress: Required for opening ceremony and closing ceremony (so make sure that you have it for the date of the Opening/Closing Ceremony—usually, the second Friday after arrival).
School Year Dates
Can fluctuate but our report date was 09 June with a start date of 16 June and our didactic year ends on 26 Jun (4 th Friday of the Month).
Leave/Holidays/Days Off
Leave is normally approved only during the scheduled breaks between terms but it is not recommended to take more than 2 days off of school in a row if it can be avoided. You will need to get approval from each of your professors, academic advisor, and provide all approvals to the program director, for the classes you miss prior to requesting leave. o Assignments are expected to be turned in on time or early o You will more than likely need to make up missed lectures with additional work – varies by instructor.
Standard federal holidays apply. o We got 4 days off around Labor Day between the first and second semester, 1 week off for Thanksgiving (semester break), and 2 weeks off for Christmas. We did not get a March spring break that aligned with the public school Spring Break, but did have a “6-day” weekend in the same month, which many students used for residency house hunting.
Most Fridays are off as Program Director’s Time or AMEDD Training Days. However, sometimes events, seminars, ACHE are required on Fridays. The dual program will have less Fridays off as a rule, especially in the 4 th semester.
Residency
Some will have a choice, others may be limited based upon AOC and the input from branch and advisors.
Start thinking about where you want to do your residency. Attached is the most recent list of residences available each year. While one of those places will be easier to secure, some will be selective and require the student interview in person (UCLA and Mass General are examples).
We had our first meetings in August with the residency director, and we had to turn in our short list of residency sites. You need to walk in the door and have some ideas for where you want to go.
Guidance for finding one on your own (this has been done before): o Have an understanding of the Residency Manual to communicate effectively the requirements to potential sites. o Prepare your Resume, Cover Letter, and find an appropriate POC at the civilian institution that has the influence and ability to make something happen. It will take work and is not a guarantee. o Rely on the faculty coordinating residencies once you get here, they will be your advocate for getting you to the right place. o LTC Cuyler can provide additional guidance.
Prerequisites/Preparation
Other things that will help prepare you: o Proficiency in Excel (knowing how to write formulas and manipulate data) o Using APA format for papers
( http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ ) o Be somewhat familiar with current issues in healthcare and other basics (how does insurance work, Medicare, Medicaid, how does military healthcare compare to civilian healthcare) o Be somewhat familiar with the components of a hospital and the different types of staff – you will learn this, but it helps to have the background knowledge o Be comfortable with writing in general – proper grammar, punctuation, paper structure, etc o Know how to use PowerPoint; a large portion of the classes require presentations through and at the end of the course o Review economics, accounting, and statistics if you have not taken these classes recently. Familiarization will help you in these subjects
o You will provide a writing sample during in processing. You may want to prepare for this as remedial writing courses may be required if the sample is shaky.
Expenses to Plan For
Books (between $100-$600 per semester—much less if you buy used and sell books back) o You should get a single book allowance of $400. The Nurse Corps unfortunately does not have a book allowance. Paperwork can be obtained from your Navy academic advisor. o You can get Amazon Prime free as a student (you will be issued a Baylor email address that will allow you to do this), which gives you free2-day shipping along with other discounts. However, be aware that not all books you buy will be Amazon prime eligible. In addition, prime is free for the first year and is charged after that. o Our first semester books cost around $350 and second semester was around
$300 so be ready for that. o Recommend considering buying used books to save on costs. New books are not necessarily any better. o Some books are available electronically for free. o It is an individual call whether or not to buy the books. The current class will provide recommendations for which titles may be of lesser true utility.
Expect to have at least one suit on hand during the school year o If you are heading towards a civilian residency, your range of business attire will require expansion .
Class “dues” were $250 this past year, which goes towards the student budget
(Holiday Party, End of Year Party, student gifts, etc.). This can be paid in periodic payments as set by the class budget officer.
The $250 also covers your two Army-Baylor polo shirts. You will have to provide your own khakis. Again, we wear them on the first and last school day of the week.
School supplies: o The entire class will be issued individual laptops for the didactic year. o A regular calculator is required for Investments. o Almost all your classes (all for the first two semesters at least) are taught with PowerPoint. There are printers in the classrooms, but supplies were limited due to financial constraints. Some in our class chipped in for paper and toner with “exclusive” rights to print. Others wander over the AMEDD library to print for free.
Alumni Association - $250 for a lifetime membership, paid at the end of the didactic year after the final exam – this is optional of course.
Orientation Week (dates TBD) and Other Events
The first week, expect to be in class at least Mon-Wed for a few hours each day – ours was 0800 to 1200 or 1400 (faculty are still working on the schedule). Here is a few events we had. The days may change, but note the clothing requirements: o Our first Friday – There was a social/mixer to meet the instructors and previous class (recommend bringing a pair of slacks, shirt, and tie with you vs. in your HHG). o On our second Friday – Opening/Closing Ceremony in service dress at
AMEDD school (recommend keeping your service dress with you versus in household goods unless you can guarantee that you will have your HHG before then).
IT Info
The classroom has LAN network access on every desk and wireless throughout the campus; your laptop will have Wi-Fi capability and should work anywhere, just like any other laptop. You can also take your issued laptop home and access your outlook, school email. Wi-Fi at the AMEDD is spotty and cannot be accessed by a non-government computer.
The provided laptops are not the best. Back up your data frequently!
You will also be issued a Baylor email account. Nearly all assignments, quizzes, and exams will take place on Blackboard. It’s an online program you access through the
Baylor website. Each course will be loaded and opened to you as you need it.
Teachers will post all PowerPoint slides in here as well as any other information you will need for each course. Exams and quizzes taken in Blackboard that are not in essay format are graded right at that moment.
You can forward your Baylor e-mail account rather easily.
Where to Live
Apartments o Alamo Heights area or downtown has some really nice apartment complexes and are pretty nearby. Pricy but close. o 10-20 minute commute depending on traffic
Houses (nearby) o Alta Vista, Terrell Heights, or near Brackenridge Park (these are older houses, so searching may be a little tougher and pricy)
o 10-20 minute commute depending on traffic
Newer houses o Northeast of Fort Sam Houston, towards Randolph AFB – 20-30 minute commute, traffic on I35 can be bad during rush hour. From closest to furthest
(Universal City-Selma-Schertz-Cibolo). The latter two have the better schools, but are further out. There are multiple routes of approach to Fort Sam
Houston to lessen the commute o Thousand Oak area - 20-30 minute commute o Stone Oak, North Central San Antonio – 30+ minute commute, traffic can be bad during rush hour (not a lot of alternative routes to beat traffic); great schools o Near Lackland and/or west of Sea World outside of the 1604.
New large houses; Great schools, 10-15 minutes from Lackland AFB
30 minute commute to Fort Sam (mostly all interstate) Traffic can be variable.
Pet Lodging
You should be able to keep pets with you at the VOQs, but just make sure to ask.
Randolph AFB has some temporary lodging that allows pets as well, but these get reserved quickly, so make your reservation as soon as possible.
If you need to lodge them, here are a couple of good options: o Pawderosa Ranch http://www.pawderosaranch.com/Pawderosa_Ranch_Awesome_Town.html
Recommend the one at Schertz, but there is also one near the airport o Becker Animal Hospital and Pet Boarding http://www.beckeranimalhospital.com/
They also have a really nice vet clinic that is 24/7, no appointment, and they provide great quality service and the price is not outrageous
Fort Sam Houston Info (Joint Base San Antonio)
http://www.samhouston.army.mil/ i.
There is a Newcomers map on the website, but here are some key locations:
Gates o The Main Gate is off of Harry Wurzbach Rd, driving East, open 24/7 o The West gate is located at Pershing Ave, next to the San Antonio Country
Club, and is open from 0500-1900.
o There is a South gate from I-35 on the South side, at the exit for Walters Rd –
24/7 o There is an East gate from I-35 at the exit for Binz-Engleman Road (on base, the road becomes Schofield) – 24/7
Access to SAMMC for medical emergencies o San Antonio Military Medical Center (Formerly known as BAMC) is probably your nearest military hospital with an ER—Wilford Hall on Lackland no longer has an ER.
It is outside Fort Sam (less than a mile away), so it has its own gate access. You can get to it from on Fort Sam by going out of the Binz-
Engleman/Schofield gate.
There is another gate further North on I-35, specifically for BAMC.
Commissary
PX o Funston and Wilson Rd o Funston and Taylor Rd
Vet Clinic o Behind the Harlequin Dinner Theater on Harney Rd between Patch and Scott
Rd
Fort Sam ID Cards/In and Out-Processing o Bldg 367 on Stanley Road (next to the Post Office) o Routine appointment for ID card replacement (change in rank, expiration) can be a 4 to 6 week wait. Lost ID cards are first come, first serve, but the wait can be long o ID card wait times are pretty much the same at all installations in San
Antonio o Here is the website to sign up for an appointment, (the MPS at all 3 locations are appointment only) https://rapids-appointments.dmdc.osd.mil/
Post office o 1804 Stanley Road
Firestone (auto care center) o Schofield Rd and Scott Rd
Military Clothing Supply o Across the street from the PX/Commissary
Dining Facility o There is one within walking distance from school (we don’t go often but it’s there and offers a low-priced meal) at Schofield Rd and Scott Rd
Gym
o Wilson St and Reynolds Rd o NOTE: Even when in Uniform, CAC must still be shown.
And of course, the school – AMEDD Center and School http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/ o Mailing Address: 3599 Winfield Scott Rd., 78234, Bldg 2841 o Army-Baylor Program website: http://www.baylor.edu/graduate/mha/ o Located at intersection of Stanley and Hardee Rd, very close to the Harry
Wurzbach gate o Parking is in the front or on the side across the street. No card tags required. o Classroom
Go to the atrium in the middle of the two buildings, and go through the doors of the larger building (2841) on the North side.
Go to the right, up the first set of stairs on the right, to the 2 nd floor, and turn right again. The classrooms are in the corner on the right
(rooms 2310 and 2312) o The Baylor Faculty offices
The Faculty offices are spread out on the main floor of the AMEDD
Center and School.
Chain of Command
Army – Baylor: o Program Director o Assistant Program Directors o Academic Advisor o Student Leadership
Navy Medical Training Center o Administers PFA (October and April) o Approval for all leaves and passes, but Navy academic advisor shall be your final approver o UCMJ (yes it happens) o Urinalysis o General “Navy” administrative needs
In-Processing
1.
If checking in during normal working hours (0730-1600), report to NMTSC’s Admin
Department, located on the Jaenke Hall, Bldg 1475, Room 1307. When checking in you must be in the uniform of the day; more than likely the Navy Working Uniform (NWU). If checking in after normal working hours, report to Jaenke Hall, Bldg 1475, located at 3320
CPL Johnson Rd., FT Sam Houston, TX 78234, for checking in and stamping of order by duty personnel. After normal working hours will report to the report to the Quarter Deck at
Jaenke Hall, BLDG 1475, located at 3320 CPL Johnson Rd., Ft Sam Houston, TX, 78234 to have orders stamped by duty personnel.
3. Baylor Students must check in with the Student Administration Department (currently located in Jaenke Hall), with a copy of stamped orders. This is where the command will officially gain you in the system, update your page two, complete your travel claim, and answer any questions you may have such as Mypay, NSIPS, or leave discrepancies.
4. Student Admin will also provide Baylor Students with a “C” School Student Check In/Out
Sheet. As a Baylor student, you will not have to complete everything on the check in sheet.
Please verify with Admin what is actually required for you since we are not in the “C” School program.
5. Baylor students will report to BLDG 903 to check in with the M3 Executive Administrative
Assistant (HM2 Ropicky located in the cubicle outside room 107) for command recall and DFAAS purposes
Command Address:
Navy Medicine Training Support Center
2931 Harney Path, FL 1
Ft Sam Houston, TX 78234
PHONE NUMBERS
Administrative Services Department, Bldg 903
Jaenke Hall Quarterdeck
OOD Cell Phone
Command Sponsor Coordinator (HM2 Ross)
(HM3 Esquivel)
(210) 808-1041/1040/1054
(210) 808-1445/1446
(210) 315-7985
(210) 808-1005
(210) 808-1019
TMO - do a thorough job taking pictures and documenting the condition of your
HHGs as you out-process your current base. We had quite a few people complain about damaged/lost items during their delivery. Also plan to be without your HHGs for a couple weeks, 2-3 weeks was the average for most people.
You should also be able to update your ID Card at the Fort Sam ID card processing center
i.
Bldg 367 on Stanley Road (right next to the post office) ii.
Here is the website to sign up for an appointment, (the MPS at all 3 locations are appointment only) https://rapidsappointments.dmdc.osd.mil/
Medical o No one really told us where to enroll. You can choose the new Fort Sam clinic (very nice), the old troop clinic (not so nice) even though they are less than a block away from each other, or Randolph/Lackland. Some of us have gotten care at all five places. o Be sure to change your family’s enrolment to the place nearest your residency. There are several Community Based Medical Homes in the community that your family can be enrolled at vs BAMC or Randolph, but those locations are options too.
PT Test
Administered by NMTSC
The PRT office only has a small staff and can offer only limited PRT/PFA/Weigh-in sessions for students and missing a scheduled session will require a request chit and a valid reason
(Medical issue, emergency leave,etc.). If you have any questions or concerns with the PT process contact LCDR Ralls at 210-808-3749 .
Other than your PT test, there are no formal PT requirements while in school here.
Ensure you have a completed PHA prior to completing your PARFQ. o To complete your PHA at Fort Sam Houston there are two way to do this
Schedule an appointment with your PCM
Walk-in bases: Building 1279 located directly across from the FSH clinic and adjacent to the Fire Department. The clinic is open M, T,
Th, F from 0600 -1500; allow 2-3 hours not including labs if required.
Bring your medical record if possible in order to ease the process and avoid getting duplicate shots or exams.
Class of 2015 Residency List:
Scripps
Walter Reed NMC
UT Health Science Center
Baptist Health
Kaiser Permanente North (Bay Area, CA)
Cleveland Clinic
JBLM / Group Health
Fort Bragg
Fort Gordon
Fort Bliss
Fort Carson
Fort Campbell
Fort Riley
Fort Belvoir
Tripler AMC
SAMMC (BAMC)
Fort Hood
Landstuhl
Johns Hopkins
TRO- South
Baptist Health / Kaiser Permanente- Southern California
UCLA
Kaiser Permanente Central- Fresno California
University of Pittsburg Medical Center
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Massachusetts General Hospital
SOME OF THE ABOVE HAVE MULTIPLE SLOTS / SOME HAVE ONLY ONE
OTHER SITES MAY BE AVAILABLE. THE ABOVE IS THE SLOTTED LIST FOR THE CLASS OF 2015.
