Survival Guide 09-10

2009 - 2010
2
Dear Class of 2013,
Congratulations on your acceptance to The UCSD School of

Medicine! It is our privilege to welcome you here and present
you with a copy of The UCSD School of Medicine Survival
Guide. Every year a group of students volunteer to add more
pearls of wisdom to the growing body of knowledge that has
been collected painstakingly over the years from students,
faculty, advisors, administrators, and the tutorial staff. We
hope that you will find it to be a valuable reference and a
constant companion, helping to enhance your journey
through medical school.
We encourage you to look through the guide as the quarters

go along. It contains specific information and hints that you
will need throughout your time here. You might also find the
guide helpful in exploring all aspects of the medical school
and the UC campus, as well as the surrounding San Diego
area.
Although this guide is very comprehensive and covers many

topics, please be aware that The UCSD School of Medicine
Survival Guide is completely and utterly unofficial, and
should be used as a supplement to your Advisor and
Student Handbook. While we have done our utmost to
ensure accuracy throughout the guide, many things can
change during the year such as school policies, course
guidelines, contact information, and even instructors.
Additionally, you should be forewarned that the guide only
represents the opinions of the few wonderful souls who
worked hard to put it together.
We are always looking for ways to improve this guide.

Please send us comments and ideas on sections you’d like
to see in future guides. We also hope that you will consider
helping to update the book for next year’s class.
Best of luck in your new endeavor!
Keiko Amano, Ian Neel

Editors
3
Table of Contents
Getting Started!
Parking/Transportation.......................................... 5
Textbooks.............................................................. 10
Medical Instruments.............................................. 11
Libraries................................................................. 13
The Essential Stores.............................................. 15
Academics
’09-’10 Calendar…………………………………………........ 17
Curriculum…………………………………………..... 18
Grades and Evaluations......................................... 18
Adjustments............................................................ 25
Study Tips............................................................... 32
Electives, Podcast, Research................................. 37
First Year
Fall Quarter................................................... 39
Winter Quarter.............................................. 46
Spring Quarter............................................... 52
Second Year
Fall Quarter.................................................... 58
Winter Quarter............................................... 64
Spring Quarter............................................... 70
Third Year............................................................... 76
Fourth Year............................................................ 87
Advising…................................................................ 96
SOS!....................................................................... 98
Student Groups and Projects…………………….. 103

Student Government……………..………………….. 103
Student Services
Financial Aid......................................................... 113
Computing............................................................. 114
Housing................................................................. 116
Healthcare
SHIP Insurance..................................................... 118
Student Health Services........................................ 119
Psychological Services.......................................... 121
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Dentistry................................................................. 121
Recreation/Athletics
Gyms.................................................................... 122
Intramurals............................................................ 123
Surfing………………………………………………….. 124
Social Life
San Diego Neighborhoods.................................... 127
Restaurants........................................................... 129
Coffee shops and Cafés........................................ 139
Eateries on Campus………………………………….. 143
Entertainment........................................................ 144
Concert Venues……………………………………… 147
Travel to Mexico……………………………………… 150
Random Questions and Answers..................... 154
UCSD Telephone Directory....................................... 156

5
Getting Started!
Parking
http://parking.ucsd.edu
Parking & Transportation Office 534-4223
The ongoing construction of new housing for graduate students has

limited the amount of parking available for students in lots adjacent to the
School of Medicine campus. It is recommended that students who live in
nearby areas serviced by the UCSD Shuttle Service or public
transportation utilize those services to get to the School of Medicine
campus.
For students who drive to campus, the university recommends that you
park in lots P703, P704 and P705. The UCSD Regents Shuttle brings
drivers from these lots to stops at the main campus close to the School
of Medicine.
Parking lot P604, adjacent to the School of Pharmacy building, has “B”
permit parking, but typically fills up by 8 AM daily.
The Parking and Commuting Alternatives website is a great resource for

planning your commuting options prior to your Medical School arrival.
http://www.ucsd.edu/current-students/student-life/parking-and-
transportation/
The parking on the UCSD campus is closely patrolled and heavily

enforced. Purchase a parking permit as soon as you can to avoid
unnecessary citations, there is no grace period at all! Permits are needed
between 7:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. Monday-Friday in most lots. You can park
in metered spaces for $1 per hour or buy monthly, quarterly or yearly
permits.
$183/qtr. ($213.50 for Fall quarter) or $610/yr. “S” (yellow) permits

are available to all students.
$243/qtr. ($283.50 for Fall quarter) or $810/yr. “B” (green) permits
are available to graduate/medical students & staff.
$220/yr. “M” permits are required for motorcycles (includes a 10 day
occasional use permit for car use).
Parking Services also offers a variety of short-term permit options:

$42/qtr. Night/Weekend Quarterly
“Smile for once, for a moment. It makes us happy. What we need is here.” - Tom Smith
(of Editors)
6
$43/ea. Occasional Use “S”: up to 10 days of parking per quarters.
$47/ea. Occasional Use “B”: up to 10 days of parking per quarter (for
graduate students only).
Occasional use permits allow you to park for any 10 days in a 4 month
period. “S” permits allow you to park in the lots on campus marked with
a yellow S for students. The more expensive “B” permit allows parking
in all “S” and “B” lots plus the advantage of parking in many different
places all around campus. Even though both “S” and “B” permits let
you park close to the medical school, there are no “S” permit spaces
near the medical school. The Gilman parking structure is usually full by
8am on weekdays and it is definitely a gamble, especially on exam
days. Most medical students will park in the “Pit” (Lot P604) where
there are only “B” parking spaces available. So unless you are willing to
show up at 7 o’clock a.m. each morning, it is your best bet to invest in a
“B” parking permit. If you live at Warren hall, the “B” permit will also
make your parking endeavors there less stressful.
Note: After 4:30pm, with any valid permit, you can park in “A”, “B”, “S”,
and metered spaces (with no fee). Campus parking is also free on
University-designated holidays and weekends.
“Walking is man's best medicine.” - Hippocrates

7
The other alternative is to carpool. Not only do you save gas and money,
but each person in the carpool receives their own individual carpool
permit good for 10 days throughout the quarter in addition to the parking
permit. There are some “S” permit carpool spots in the “Pit” and “B”
permit carpool spots are scattered throughout various lots on campus.
See the people in the Parking and Transportation office beneath the
Gilman parking structure in order to purchase your permit.
Roadside assistance
If you ever find yourself stranded because you locked yourself out of
your car, you have a dead battery, a flat tire, or out of gas; you can get
free roadside assistance if you are on or near the UCSD campus.
Simply use the yellow emergency phone in any UCSD parking lot to
contact the UCSD Police Department. The police will send a member of
the UCSD Motorist Assistance Program and they provide this service to
all students and faculty members free of charge. Know your car’s license
plate number, make, model, color and the number of the parking lot you
are in when you call. They can only assist you with lockouts if you have
non-power door locks. Even if your problem is not one of the above, they
can help you call a tow truck.
Parking tips
1. Do not try to park at the VA MEDICAL CENTER and walk to class to
avoid paying for a campus permit. VA parking is at a premium at all
times, and the VA Police will ticket you the first time they see you
park at the VA and walk to campus. The second time, they tow you
away, and it will cost you to get your car back. If you are a part-time
employee of the VA or are involved in a research project with
someone at the VA, you may be able to obtain a temporary parking
sticker. Have your supervisor talk to the Security Office (1st floor VA,
Room 1615).
2. If you drive a borrowed car without a campus permit, do not park it
in a permit lot with a note on the window. They won’t buy it. Parking
enforcement brings strange glee to the draconian parking cops
whose sole purpose of existence is to give people tickets. Get a
temporary permit from the Parking Office right away. If you should
ever get a grossly unfair ticket, take it THE SAME DAY to the
Parking Office and talk to them. Waiting until the next day makes it
impossible to change or reverse the ticket without going to court.
3. Many students park on the streets near La Jolla Village Drive or on
Gilman Drive and walk to school. This is easy at eight in the morning,
but all the spaces are gone by nine. Don’t park at the El Torito, they
don’t tow cars everyday, but when they do, it costs well over $100 to
get your car back.
4. Do not erase days on a carpool or occasional use permit. If you are
caught (and yes people get caught) it is a $300+ fine.
The only time you must not fail is the last time you try.
8
Alternative Transportation
Transportation Alternatives Office 534-4235
Getting around from day to day is serious business in Southern

California. Unlike other parts of the country, things in San Diego are
rather spread out. San Diego is also built around mesas and canyons,
which leads to some rather torturous and hilly terrain. A good resource is
Transportation Alternatives, which provides maps, licenses, information,
etc.
Bicycle tips
1. Register your bike ($6.00) with the Pedal Club at the Bicycle
Enforcement Office (Building 504, behind the UCSD Police Station).
2. Lock your bike, through both wheels, to something that is unlikely to
be carried away.
3. Got a flat tire or need supplies? Use the student-run, nonprofit Bike
Shop (UCSD Bike Shop 858-534-4279) in the Student Center. It is
cheap and convenient. You’ll find tools, air, and bike accessories
there. A popular parking alternative is the bike permit, where you
plan on biking to school every day, but 10 days during the quarter
you can park your car. This permit is free!
San Diego city buses

This is a fairly good system with relatively frequent runs and nice, clean
buses. There are a couple of key routes that go through campus, UTC,
and the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO) that are free with your
student ID. To use these buses for free, just pick up a sticker and bus
schedules at Rideshare Operations, located beneath the Gilman parking
structure. The sticker covers a ten-mile radius from UCSD. Otherwise it
can run between $1.75 to $2.25 each way depending on which bus you
take, or you can get a $5 day pass that allows you unlimited bus
transportation for that day. Also, you can pick up schedules for the
individual runs at the VA Medical Center, the Hillcrest UCSD Medical
Center, the EDNA Office (by Price Center Theater), or the off-campus
housing office in the Student Center. Some buses are equipped with
bike racks on the front. Make sure you inform the driver about your bike
before you get on or off.
Campus shuttle bus

There are numerous free campus shuttle buses available that operate
throughout the year. However, the campus loop shuttle, the east
campus/ Regents Express shuttle only operate during the academic
year. Schedules vary depending on weekdays or the weekends, so be
sure to check ahead of time so that you don’t get stranded!
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“Man was made at the end of the week’s work when God was tired.” – Mark Twain
North County Transit District
You can catch the #101 bus at the VA (and other campus sites) at 10
minutes and 40 minutes past the hour, starting at 5:10 a.m. until 9:40
p.m. The bus ride is free with your Bus Sticker and runs as far up the
coast as Oceanside. For more information, call EDNA (534-3362).
Trains, Trolleys, Coasters, & Planes

For other such transportation needs, try going by rail. You can hop on
the Pacific Surfliner train northbound from San Diego to LA or hang on
for the ride as far as Paso Robles. Much of the ride is right along the
coast and offers beautiful views of the beach. The closest Amtrak
station, unfortunately, is in Old Town, which is approximately 7 miles
from School of Medicine. For more information, visit <amtrak.com>.
The San Diego Trolley System has 3 lines that take you anywhere from
Old Town to the TJ border in San Ysidro. The Coaster will get you
between Downtown and Oceanside <sdcommute.com>.
San Diego has one international airport, the San Diego Lindberg Field
Airport <san.org>, for all of your flying needs. The next closest airport is
in Orange County, the Santa Ana John Wayne airport, which is about 70
miles away from La Jolla. If you are going home for Thanksgiving and/or
Winter breaks, UCSD provides students with free transportation between
the school and the San Diego International Airport. The Holiday Airport
Shuttle can pick up and drop off. Advance reservations are required but
can be made online via TritonLink.
Directions to San Diego International Airport:

Take I-5 southbound from School of Medicine, exit San Diego
Airport/Hawthorn Street. This puts you onto Kettner Boulevard. At the
traffic light at Sassafray Street, make a right. Proceed down the hill to
the traffic light at Pacific Highway and make a left. Follow Pacific
Highway for ½ mile to Laurel Street and turn right. Take Laurel Street to
the next traffic light at N. Harbor Drive, and turn right.
Do you need a car?

Nearly all students own cars, as it is the easiest way to get around the
San Diego area. If you want to participate in preceptorships, the free
clinic, or other clinical opportunities during your pre-clinical years, it is
best to have a car. Some first and second years get by without one;
however, by third year, you will definitely need to have a car.
Closest Gas Station

The closest gas station is the Mobil station on La Jolla Village Drive and
Villa La Jolla and is on the expensive side, so when you go out exploring
San Diego, keep an eye out for better gas prices. The cheapest gas
around is at Costco on Morena Boulevard, north of Balboa.
10
Worry is the interest paid by those who borrow trouble.
Textbooks
Required textbooks and syllabi are available at the UCSD bookstore, and
most of them are put on reserve at the Biomedical Library. Before
running out to buy every textbook for each class — wait for classes to
begin and assess the need for them first. They tend to be very
expensive, non-refundable, and the bookstore doesn’t buy them back!
The Tutorial Office has a lending library with many books that can be
borrowed for free. However, the policy is on a first come, first served
basis. Big Sibs are great sources for both books and advice on which
ones are actually worth while to have. There are usually sales throughout
the year by the third or fourth years so it would be much cheaper to buy
the books from them. There are even books that are given out for free.
Sometimes, syllabi are not available until the middle of the first week of
classes. But no need to freak out, that just means no one else has the
syllabi as well. Finally, you may not want to part with your pre-med books
so soon, especially if you were a biology major. Many students
generally spend most of their study time with syllabi, class notes
and approved practice exams rather than textbooks. Another
extrememly useful resource is the Study Aids made by OESS and
posted on the forum.
Editor’s Picks: The editors have noticed that most students think the
following books are excellent buys [for its relevant course].
¾ Stedman’s Medical Dictionary

¾ Maxwell’s Quick Medical Reference
¾ Lippincott’s Pharmacology. [Path, Micro]
¾ West’s Essentials of Respiratory Physiology. [OP]
¾ Dubin, Rapid Interpretation of EKGs. [OP, Path]
¾ Gest et al., Review Questions for Gross Anatomy and
Embryology. Also known as “The Yellow and Blue Question
Book”. [HA]
¾ Gordis, Epidemiology. [EPI]
¾ NMS, Hematology. Also known as “The Pink Book”. [Heme]
¾ Klatt and Kumar, Robbins Review of Pathology. [Path]
¾ BRS Pathology. [Path]
¾ BRS Physiology
¾ BRS Pharmacology
¾ Topf and Faubel, Microbiology Companion. [Micro]
¾ Levinson and Jawetz, Medical Microbiology & Immunology.
[Micro]
¾ Vikas Bhushan, First Aid for the USMLE Step 1. [USMLE Step 1]
¾ Linda S. Costanzo, Physiology cases and Problems, Board
Review Series
¾ F.H. Netter, Atlas of Human Anatomy (4th edition) [Neuro,
Anatomy]
11
All right lets not panic. I’ll make the money by selling one of my livers. I can get by with one.
University bookstore
http://www.bookstore.ucsd.edu
(858) 534-7323
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am to 6:00pm
Sat. 10:00am to 5:00pm, Sun. Noon to 5:00pm
The University Bookstore makes available an extensive selection of

books, including textbooks required for UCSD courses, supplementary
reading materials, and medical instruments. In addition, the bookstore
carries a full line of sundries and gifts, including personal items,
magazines and newspapers, clothing, posters, school supplies,
electronic calculators, computers, software, and art/engineering supplies.
The bookstore offers a 10% “happy hour” discount for book purchases
on Wednesday afternoons during 4-6pm.
Like all campus bookstores, you can charge bookstore stuff to your
student account with your ID card. If you use a credit card for
purchases, beware that they always check ID. Unfortunately, the
bookstore does not usually offer refunds on medical text books, so
check before you purchase!
The bookstore carries all of the required materials for pre-clinical classes
in ample supply, but if you want to order books online, try AMSA/Barnes
and Noble Online Bookstore. You can save 10% on every purchase
even if you aren’t a member and get free shipping. Visit:
<www.bn.com/amsa>. Of course, this requires you to plan ahead so
your books will actually arrive on time for the course.
Medical Instruments
First year, you will need to purchase a few key medical instruments.
They will be required for the Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM)
course given spring quarter, but don’t wait until spring quarter to think
about buying your equipment. Even though you don’t need the
instruments until then, it would be wise to buy them in the fall, when they
are on sale at the Bookstore. During orientation, representatives from
different companies come to the medical school to show you their
products. This is a good time to compare the different instruments to see
12
“Wait, I'm a doctor I should probably know that.” – J.D.
which ones you like. If you plan to do a preceptorship, get involved in
extracurricular activities, or electives (e.g., the Free Clinic), you will put
the instruments to good use before ICM third quarter. At the minimum
you will want to buy:
1. Stethoscope
2. Otoscope/opthalmoscope
3. Neurology kit
However, be on the look out for fourth years who might be selling their
instruments on the med portal at a discount price – though these deals
are few and far between. Other alternatives include AMSA at <http://
steeles.com/amsa> or you could even check out Ebay as they are known
to have pretty good deals on kits if you aren’t looking for the name brand.
Purchasing a blood pressure cuff is optional, but most students end up
getting one. It helps to have it in free clinic. For those who plan on
seeing pediatric patients as well, buying the set of pressure cuffs might
be a good investment. But otherwise, just the normal-sized cuff is more
than sufficient. For the otoscope/opthalmoscope, unless you are
planning on making tons of trips abroad, most people opt for the lighter
version where you charge the instrument instead of using batteries.
Many clinical students have recommended purchasing the Maxwell

Quick Medical Reference, a small, cheap, spiral-bound reference booklet
that is helpful in clinical situations. This book is especially handy for
general history and review of systems questions during the pre-clinical
years. During the clinical years, Maxwell can help you look up lab values
quickly. Although by no means required, many students think it’s worth
the money if you plan to get involved in preceptorships or the student-run
Free Clinic during the first two years. If you want to blow more cash, you
may want to get a bag to help carry all the instruments, especially if your
white coat has small pockets. A few people say that the bags come in
handy for lugging things around in the second-year Introduction to
Clinical Medicine (ICM) class.
Like most other things, there is a price range for the medical instruments.
When deciding which specific instrument to purchase, you should ask a
lot of questions of doctors, Big Sibs, friends, and family. Then, go to the
bookstore where you can test each one out and do more research. Pick
the instrument that feels best and is easiest for you to use. Remember:
Medical equipment sales are FINAL, so plan carefully. Do you really
need that pre-owned rectal thermometer?
Once you buy your equipment, you should put your name on it. All
instruments look alike! If you misplace something, a nametag or a few
well-placed stickers will help distinguish it from others and might even
keep it from walking away. Put your name on your books, too. At least
one person is guaranteed to lose their copy of Netter’s atlas in the
anatomy lab.
To realize how short life is, you must live a long time.
13
Computers/PDA
UCSD School of Medicine expects all students to have a LAPTOP
computer, a printer, and Internet access. Both Apple and PC computers
are acceptable. Last year, UCSD experimented with online
examinations for the OP and POP finals. These exams require
Windows, so if you have an Apple, beware. There’s wireless internet
connection everywhere on campus; and in many of the lecture halls,
there are electric outlets to keep the laptops charged throughout the day.
Many students will want to purchase a PDA for medical school. Although
a good investment, you will not really need a PDA until you begin your
rotations in the third year. If you have been following the trends of
electronics, you know that if you wait a month, you can buy something
that’s faster, with more capabilities for cheaper, so if you are not in a
hurry to procure a PDA, then wait until after finishing second year before
starting to think of purchasing one.
Libraries
UCSD has several libraries. The two most relevant for you are the
Biomedical & Medical Center Libraries <biomed.ucsd.edu>.
¾ Biomedical Library (BML): (858) 534-1201
¾ Medical Center Library (MCL, in Hillcrest) - (619) 543-6520
Course reserves. A lot of material is available via electronic reserves

and many print textbooks are on reserve at the Biomedical Library
<reserves.ucsd.edu>.
PubMed information. The UC campuses use PubMed for Medline

searches. There are customized features for linking to e-journals and
requesting articles, so always use the UCSD link to PubMed
<biomed.ucsd.edu/pubmed>.
Access from home. To get access to e-journals, e-books and databases

from home. <biomed.ucsd.edu/services/access.htm>.
Clinical resources. There’s a quick Web page devoted to the top

clinically-oriented resources in medicine available at UCSD
<gort.ucsd.edu/clinlib>.
14
“Leisure is the Mother of Philosophy.” – Thomas Hobbes
Study spots. The Biomedical Library’s Graduate study lounge is the most
popular study location for medical students. For a quieter environment, a
separate “quiet Grad study room” is also available. In general, anywhere
in the remodeled Biomedical Library is decent for studying. If you like to
study away from the medical school, other good study spots can be
found at the CLICS and Geisel Libraries (higher floors are quieter), and
also at the picturesque Scripps Institution of Oceanography library off La
Jolla Shores Drive. You can find out about these and other libraries at
<libraries.ucsd.edu>. There are also tons of cafes on campus and
throughout the greater San Diego area that are great for studying (see
Cafe Section).
Popular reading. The CLICS library at Revelle has a public-library type

collection of popular books. Books are in the Roger catalog
(roger.ucsd.edu) and they list new titles on their Website <clics.ucsd.edu/
newbooks>. The Biomedical Library also carries a small selection of
current popular reading
Questions? Contact the library at <biomed.ucsd.edu/ask>.
Student Lounge
This year the student lounge will be in a new temporary location while
the old lounge is torn down to make way for super cool new facilities.
The temporary lounge contains a lending library, a piano, big screen TV,
2 foosball tables, and a computer work station. The kitchen also has a
fridge, 2 microwaves, a toaster oven, for which many students use to
store and/or heat up lunch. Student groups can reserve cupboard space
to store supplies, and the lounge can be reserved to host meetings or
parties. To reserve the lounge, check with the front desk in the OSA. By
the beginning of the school year, your student ID will be activated to
open the Student Lounge. Please do NOT prop the lounge door open as
it activates an alarm that calls the police after 1 minute. No one wants
this to happen so please, please, keep the doors locked at all times!
Also, what you learned in kindergarten still applies: put things back
where you found them and clean up your own mess. No one likes to
clean up after someone else, and the lounge is much more enjoyable
when everyone pitches in to take care of it.
15
“Every man is born as many men and dies as a single one.” – Martin Heidegger
The Essential Stores....

Target
1288 Camino Del Rio N San Diego, CA 92108, (619) 542-0025
8251 Mira Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92126-2603, (858)530-1901
Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-10pm, Sun 8am-9pm
Office Depot
4428 Convoy Street, San Diego CA 92111, (858)569-9971
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-9pm, Sat 9am-9pm, Sun 10am-6pm
Staples
8657 Villa La Jolla Dr, La Jolla, CA 92037, (858) 909-0253
Hours: Mon-Fri 7a-9p, Sat/Sun 10a-6p
9420 Scranton Rd, Mira Mesa, CA 92121, (858)623-0048
1650 Garnet Ave., San Diego, CA 92109, (858)490-1700
Walmart
4840 Shawline Street, San Diego, CA 92111, (858)268-2885
Costco
4605 Morena Boulevard, San Diego, California 92117, (858)270-2960
Trader Joe’s
8657 Villa La Jolla Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, (858)546-8629
[In the La Jolla Village Square Shopping Center, Villa La Jolla Drive at
Nobel]
Henry’s Marketplace
3358 Governor Dr., San Diego, CA 92122, (858)457-5006
Albertson’s & Savon

8510 Genesee Ave., San Diego, CA 92122, (858)458-1662
Ralph’s Grocery Store

8657 Villa La Jolla Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, (858)597-1550
Pharmacy Phone: (858)597-0108
Von’s Grocery Store

7788 Regents Road, San Diego CA 92122, (858)455-6130
16
“All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
DMV
When you cross the California border: Given a place to live, the next
most pressing issue should be your car. If you are bringing it into
California from out of state, it will need to be smog checked and
registered within 20 days. Sometimes you can find smog check
coupons on-line which can decrease costs significantly.
Make an online reservation at the DMV to avoid standing in long lines.

Their website is http://www.dmv.ca.gov and the Claremont DMV is
closest to UCSD. Bring every piece of paperwork that they could
conceivably ask you for (passport, birth certificate, vehicle registration
from another state, proof of insurance, etc.), your smog check certificate,
your checkbook and your vehicle. As a warning, do not attempt to
circumvent California sales tax by purchasing a vehicle out-of-state.
Also, if you do not register for more than 20 days, it is advisable to make
a short trip to Nevada before you go to the DMV. The fines for not
registering your vehicle within 20 days of entry are not insignificant. Also,
this needs to be done regardless of whether you or your out-of-state
parent owns the vehicle. Timely registration costs around $120
depending on your vehicle. At the same time, you can get your California
driver’s license or an ID card. All of these things are necessary
eventually for establishing residency, so get them over with as soon as
possible.
The closest DMV office is in Clairemont, off Balboa Ave. intersecting with
Genessee Ave. Address: 4375 Derrick Dr., San Diego, CA 92117,
Phone: (800) 777-0133
Banks
It might be a good idea to start a bank account if you didn’t do so at
another earlier point in life. UCSD SOM financial aid office has
convenient direct deposit service that can automatically deposit your loan
amount into your bank account once the loan is disbursed at beginning
of each quarter.
Check out the ATMs on campus before deciding so it will be more

convenient for you. Union Bank of California doesn’t have any machines
at UCSD; their nearest branch is East of campus on La Jolla Village
Drive. Bank of America and Wells Fargo offer numerous conveniently
located ATMs around San Diego (Wells Fargo even has a branch in
Ralphs).
People with money are the first to say the best things in life are free.
17
18
Academics
Academic Calendar
First Year
FALL QUARTER, 2009
Quarter Begins (Orientation
Week)..........................................................................Monday, August 31
Labor Day................................................................Monday, September 7
Major-block Instruction Begins...............................Tuesday, September 8
Veteran’s Day Holiday.......................................... Tuesday, November 11
Major-block Instruction Ends....................................Friday, November 25
Thanksgiving Holiday........................ Thursday-Friday, November 26-27
Mini-block Instruction/Quarter Begins .................Monday, November 30
Mini-block Instruction/Quarter Ends ........................Friday, December 18
WINTER QUARTER, 2010
Quarter/Instruction Begins........................................... Monday, January 4
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.................................Monday, January 18
President's Day Holiday ...........................................Monday, February 15
Quarter/Instruction Ends................................................. Friday, March 19
SPRING QUARTER, 2010
Quarter/Instruction Begins ...........................................Monday, March 29
Memorial Day Observance..............................................Monday, May 31
Quarter/Instruction Ends ....................................................Friday, June 11
Second Year
FALL QUARTER, 2009
Mini-block Instruction/Quarter Begins ...................Tuesday, September 8
Mini-block Instruction Ends.....................................Friday, September 25
Major-block Instruction/Quarter Begins ...............Monday, September 28
Veteran’s Day Holiday.......................................... Tuesday, November 11
Thanksgiving Holiday........................ Thursday-Friday, November 26-27
Major-block Instruction/Quarter Ends .....................Friday, December 18
WINTER QUARTER, 2010
Quarter/Instruction Begins.......................................... Monday, January 4
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday................................Monday, January 18
President's Day Holiday ..........................................Monday, February 15
Quarter/Instruction Ends................................................ Friday, March 19
SPRING QUARTER, 2010
Quarter/Instruction Begins ..........................................Monday, March 29
Quarter/Instruction Ends ...................................................Friday, May 28
Memorial Day Observance..............................................Monday, May 31
May 29 - June 26 USMLE Step 1
“Time is not a thing, thus nothing which is, and yet it remains constant in its passing away without
being something temporal like the beings in time.” – Martin Heidegger
19
Curriculum
The ride lasts four years at UCSD, as with every other medical school.
One thing we do differently, though, is to take Human Anatomy during
the second year. The second special curricular feature here is the
Independent Study Project (ISP), which involves research overseen by a
committee of faculty preceptors. The ISP could be scientific research,
methodology in medical teaching or patient care, community service or
leadership, or even a Focused Clinical Multidisciplinary ISP (FCM-ISP).
For more information about the ISP or FCM-ISP, be sure to visit the ISP
handbook under the Class Info Tab in the Web Portal.
The first two (preclinical) years will be spent mostly in lecture halls
learning the basic sciences from a lot of different lecturers. In addition to
taking the core science courses, you will have opportunities to get
involved with patients through the Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS)
course, Clinical Correlates lectures, and through various electives
including preceptorships and the Free Clinic. You will receive most of
your clinical training in the third and fourth years as you rotate through
the various clerkships at the UCSD Medical Centers (La Jolla’s
“Thornton” and Hillcrest’s “the U”), Scripps Mercy, Veterans
Administration (“the VA”), Balboa Naval (“Navy”), Children’s hospitals,
and many outpatient clinics throughout San Diego County.
The UCSD School of Medicine (SOM) web page at this site is a good
resource for general information: <http://som.ucsd.edu/>
The “For Our Students” website is more student-oriented and holds a
sizeable repository of web-based curricular resources:
<http://meded-portal.ucsd.edu/login.html>
Grades and evaluations

This is the unofficial “word on the street” on how to navigate the grading
and evaluating systems here at UCSD. For official contest rules, talk to
your OSA advisor or see the Advisor and Student Handbook, distributed
during orientation week. We cannot possibly stress the importance of the
Advisor and Student Handbook enough, especially on matters such as
your grades.
Grading: First year, fall quarter core courses will be graded Pass/Fail. All
core courses thereafter are graded Honors/Pass/ Fail. Honors grades
Only the person who isn’t rowing has time to rock the boat.
20
are awarded to approximately the top 15% (sometimes 10-20%) of
students. Not all classes offer honors grades. For example, preclinical
electives are graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis.
“P,” for pass, is the minimum acceptable grade for each class. It is the
grade that the great majority of students receive (and are enormously
happy about). You will hear the wise phrase “P = MD” many times.
UCSD also has a grade called “Y,” which is a provisionally unsatisfactory
grade. One can get a “Y” on a midterm OR the course. A “Y” on a
midterm may be given to the students (usually about one or two, but
possibly up to seven or eight) whose grades are close to failing. These
students are notified and offered additional help by the Educational
Support Services and professors. Often a student who receives a “Y” on
a midterm exam will improve with a little extra help and pass the class.
Nevertheless, it’s always best to have a good safety margin.
The provisional unsatisfactory grade, “Y” in a course, often confuses

many students. Students often stress too much about its details and
what it exactly means. To find that out, go to your OSA advisor, the
Associate Dean, or look in the Advisor and Student Handbook. It’s one
way the course can say to you, “Hey, you gotta do better.” If you are
having trouble with your grades either because of personal, family,
health or emotional problems, SEEK HELP FAST! Talk to your
professors, OSA advisors, Faculty Advisors, or the Associate Dean.
Read the SOS! section of this guide. Do not procrastinate on a matter as
important as this. If you are confused and worried about your grades,
performance, and future, talk to the countless number of people here
who can help you even in the direst of situations. That’s why they’re
there!
Scores: Your score and a class distribution will be posted after each
examination on your private Web Portal login page. In courses with
small-group discussions, your small-group facilitator will write a personal
evaluation of your performance, based on both attendance and
participation. These core course evaluations are summarized and
sometimes quoted in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation
(MSPE). You are free to read through these evaluations, which will be
placed in your file at the OSA. Pre-clinical courses that will contribute to
the personal evaluation include CBB, all terms of SBS, and Human
Anatomy.
Marginal performance: If you get a “Y” or an “F” on a midterm, final, or

course, you should carefully assess where you went wrong, review your
exams with the tutors, and go see the course chair. You may also want
“I hope I didn’t brain my damage.” – Homer Simpson

21
to meet with your OSA advisor to discuss the possibility of waiving your
elective requirement for a quarter.
There are usually a few students who wind up taking OP, Pharmacology,
CBB components, or some of the other exams again at the end of the
summer. If you pass the exam in the summer (and the Educational
Support Services staff will do everything in its power to make this
happen), you will get a “P” in the course. The point is that you’ve
mastered the material you need to know to become a good doctor. The
Standing and Promotions Committee (SPC) reviews the progress of all
students, and a detailed description can be found in the Advisor and
Student Handbook. For a quick reference, please refer to the SPC
Cheat Sheet on the next few pages. Bottom line for most people: if you
think you might be in trouble, academically or personally, seek out
help from people (friends, big sibs, classmates, tutors, professors, OSA
advisors, religious guides, lawyers, the psychic friends network, etc.)
EARLY. This will save you much stress later.
Clinical evaluation: During your clinical years, the clerkship directors will
write narrative evaluations of you and examine your competency by
written tests. The final written examinations in the core clerkships are
known as “shelf exams.” These clinical evaluations are some of the most
important components of your Medical Student Performance Evaluation
(MSPE), which is the centerpiece of your application for internships and
residencies.
Mishaps: If you have trouble securing a particular evaluation, or if you

believe you received an unfair evaluation, you have several options open
to you. They are all described in the Appeals Section of the Advisor and
Student Handbook. At the minimum, you are probably going to want to
speak with the professor of the course, and/or the Associate Dean. In
any case, don’t wait too long to exercise any of these options. These
evaluations are summarized in your MSPE when you begin applying for
residencies. Remember, your clinical evaluations are the most important
components of both the MSPE and your overall residency application. In
your MSPE, a couple of paragraphs (out of several pages) are devoted
to your preclinical years (both successes and failures).
Evaluation file: Along with your entire academic file, your evaluation file
is available to you at any time, and you should check it periodically by
asking for it in the OSA. In particular, if you know that a preceptor or a
professor in an elective course wrote a narrative evaluation, you should
be able to find it there. It’s helpful to confirm its arrival, especially if your
evaluation is a good one! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask
the OSA staff. They know almost everything, or at least can direct you to
someone who does.
When money talks, nobody pays much attention to the grammar.
22
SPC Cheat Sheet

The Advisor and Student Handbook has a detailed, and yet legally-
oriented document of what the Standing and Promotions Committee
does. As many students find this confusing, and sometimes unfriendly,
the SPC Cheat Sheet is intended to elucidate what happens if you
perform poorly, academically ethically, or otherwise. This is not an
official document but hopefully can help you alleviate some of the stress.
The Standing and Promotions Committee (SPC) is comprised of

preclinical and clinical faculty members, as well as nonvoting members
such as the Associate Deans for Undergraduate Medical Education, and
Admissions and Student Affairs, and the Assistant Dean for Student
Affairs. The SPC is concerned with the academic performance of
students in both clinical and non-clinical courses. The SPC is additionally
charged with examining the records of all students at the end of each
quarter and making decisions regarding future course schedules for
students who experience academic difficulties. Finally, the SPC is
charged with reviewing charges of academic dishonesty or
unprofessional conduct. A student may be brought to the attention of the
SPC for one of the following reasons:
PROVISIONALLY UNSATISFACTORY (“Y”) Grade

One Provisionally Unsatisfactory (“Y”) Grade
• Grade is reported to SPC
• No further action is taken by administration
• “Y” grade is changed to Pass upon completion of make-up
examination and/or remedial course work
Two Provisionally Unsatisfactory (“Y”) Grades in the Same
Academic Year
• Grades are reported to SPC
• Student is placed on Academic Probation
• Student must petition the SPC in early June to be allowed to
take summer make-up examinations - at the discretion of the
course committee or the SPC may be required to repeat the
entire course(s) during the next academic year
• “Y” grades are changed to Pass upon completion of make-up
examination and/or remedial course work
Additional “Y” or “F” Grade in the Same Academic Year, after
receipt of Two “Y” grades
• Student must be interviewed by the SPC at a Review Hearing
FAIL (“F”) GRADE

One Fail (“F”) Grade
“To be what you want to be, you must give up being what you are.” – Cat Stevens
23
• Student must petition the SPC in early June to be allowed to
take summer make-up examinations - at the discretion of the
course committee or the SPC may require the student to repeat
the entire course(s) during the next academic year.
• Credit for course is granted upon completion of make-up
examination and/or remedial course work, “F” grade remains on
transcript.
Additional “Y” or “F” Grade in the Same Academic Year, after
receipt of One “F” grade
• Student must be interviewed by the SPC at a Review Hearing
ALLEGATION OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY/UNPROFESSIONAL

CONDUCT (as reported via Professional Evaluation Form)
First Level I Professionalism Evaluation Form (PEF):
• Student meets with Course/Clerkship administrator
• Student can write a response to the PEF
• Complete PEF + student response are sent to Associate Dean
for Undergrad Medical Education and retained in a temp file
Second Level I Professionalism Evaluation Form (PEF) or single
Level II PEF:
• Conduct is reported to and discussed by SPC
• PEF reports and SPC findings are added to student’s academic
file
• Depending on the severity of the allegation, SPC may place the
student on Academic Probation
• Depending on the severity of the allegation, SPC may dismiss
the student from the school of medicine
FAILURE OF USMLE STEP I*

First Attempt
• Failure is reported to SPC
• Student must withdraw from any Third Year Clerkship in which
s/he is enrolled, (except for the Primary Care 401 course) and
may not re-enroll in clerkships until Step I is passed
Second Attempt
• Student invited to a committee meeting with SPC
• Student required to take courses and tutorials as designed by
the SPC to assist with Step I
• Student must withdraw from ALL clerkships, including PC 401
Third Attempt
• Student is dismissed from the School of Medicine
“What if you find yourself in a room full of riches, having everything you want does it feel alright?
What if you looked again, see the love that’s around you, isn’t it a better place for your heart to
live?” – Tak Matsumoto
24
ACADEMIC PROBATION
Academic probation is a trial period during which a student may have the
opportunity to remediate his/her unsatisfactory performance. The SPC
will inform the student, in writing, when he/she is placed on academic
probation; in this notice, the student will be made aware that his/her
continuance in the School of Medicine may be in jeopardy.
Consequences of Academic Probation

• Students on academic probation come under increased
jurisdiction of the faculty and administration and may receive
instructions regarding, but not limited to, the following areas:
- Leaves of absence and vacation.
- Reporting performance in courses to faculty committees
and advisors.
- The method by which course requirements are to be
satisfied.
- The sequences of courses to be taken or retaken.
Students may be instructed to repeat portions of the
curriculum.
• Students on academic probation must be described as "not in
good standing" for certain purposes such as:
- Letters of recommendation.
- Scholarship programs that require that student standing
be reported.
• Students on probation are prohibited from:
- Serving on faculty committees
- Serving as a class governor/officer
- Representing the School
- Taking courses at other institutions
- Attending professional or other association meetings
held outside of San Diego
Removal of Probationary Status
• Depending on the reason for being placed on Academic
Probation, Probationary status will generally be removed upon
Satisfactory Completion* of:
- requirements in all courses at issue at the conclusion of
the student's current academic year (for pre-clinical
students)
- when the student has fulfilled all SPC requirements
following a finding of academic dishonesty or
unprofessional conduct
- receiving a passing score on the USMLE
• *Satisfactory Completion: Generally, satisfactory completion is
achieved when the course work is made up (upon receiving a P,
Pass grade) or other remediation is successfully completed.
However, students who have had significant academic difficulty
may be continued on academic probation, at the discretion of
the SPC, after the coursework that led to academic probation
“As long as you hate, there will be people to hate.” – George Harrison
25
has been remediated or after passing the USMLE. The terms
and duration of academic probation will be stated in the
probationary notice from SPC.
• When probationary status is removed, the student will be notified
in writing by the SPC.
REVIEW HEARING
There are some instances when a student may be asked to meet with
the committee. An in-depth evaluation of the issue will be conducted,
and the student will meet with the SPC to discuss their case. Any in-
depth evaluation of a student's performance must be carried out with the
full knowledge of both the student and the student's advisor. The
possible results of this meeting include the SPC placing a student on a
Leave of Absence and/or Academic Probation, requiring an extended
schedule in the curriculum, or dismissing them from the SOM.
Hearing Results
After meeting with the student and his/her advisor, and following
appropriate deliberations, the SPC may take any of the following courses
of action:
• Leave of Absence - The SPC may place the student on
involuntary leave of absence, if, in the opinion of a majority of
the committee (or not less than six affirmative votes), such a
leave is in the student's best interest.
• Extended Academic Schedule - The SPC may require a student
to extend his/her schedule for completing the curriculum.
Failure of a pre-clinical course following attempts to satisfy the
course requirements normally results in a one year extension in
the student's progress through the curriculum.
• Dismissal - The SPC may elect to dismiss the student from the
SOM. Any recommendation for the student's dismissal will be
based upon the evidence presented at the hearings. A student is
subject to dismissal from the School of Medicine under the
circumstances listed below:
- The receipt of two F grades in SOM core courses.
- Continued marginal or unsatisfactory performance in the
curriculum while on academic probation.
- Placement on academic probation a second time.
- Based on findings of academic dishonesty (major
offense) following an in-depth evaluation by SPC
-
Appeal of Hearing Results
A student who has been dismissed from the School of Medicine may
appeal the dismissal to the Dean of the School of Medicine. Appeals to
the Dean of the School of Medicine must be made in writing within 60
days of the decision to dismiss.
“As you go through life, you've got to see the valleys as well as the peaks.” – Neil Young
26
Adjustments
Many people need to adjust their lifestyles, not to mention their study
habits, when they come to medical school. Here are true-life stories from
a humanities major, a science major, a parent, and a recovering slacker.
All have succeeded in medical school. You can, too!
Humanities major
“Science? Well, I took a couple of Bio courses...”
Hey, I know you. You don’t recognize me as one of your own kind, I
know, but give me a chance. When people hear your obscure non-
science major, you get a hesitant “Well, I guess you could be a
teacher...” or maybe you inspire the incredulous “What are you going to
do with that?!” Am I right? And you thoroughly enjoy the shock on their
faces when you respond, “Go to medical school!”
But now you’re worried. You are the lone non-science major, striking out
into the unknown land of Biochemists, Physiologists, and the occasional
Physicist, fear and trembling in your heart and a disarming yet utterly
false smile upon your face.
I want to let you in on The Secret: You have incredible powers! These
powers endow you with the awe-inspiring ability to see The Big Picture.
An example for the still-skeptical: while absorbing some sun rays

following a lecture, a Techie says to me, clearly forgetting that I am not
one of his kind, “I never knew there was a DNA pol zeta!” Shocking. Not
nearly as shocking, however, as my reply, “Me neither. Or alpha, beta,
gamma, delta... heck, I didn’t know there was a DNA pol!” Thank
goodness he caught himself before having a heart attack; we hadn’t
learned CPR yet. We had sat through the same lecture, thinking very
different things:
Techie: Oh my, another DNA pol zeta. Why didn’t they teach us about
zeta in undergrad? I thought I knew them all! What if there are others
they haven’t told us about? What do they do? How will I ever learn them
all?!
Fuzzy (that’s me): Hmmm. Seems there’s a lot of DNA pols, and they all
do different things so that everything gets done when it needs to be.
Pretty nifty.
“Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.” – Popular Mechanics, 1949
27
See what I mean? You’re going to be just fine. You’ll see The Big
Picture. You’ll learn the Details, just because you can, but you’ll know
how they all work together to make something greater than their parts.
Lovely, isn’t it, that those of us with Big Picture Vision get to appreciate
Synergy so much more often than the others can?
Science major
“I’m not an overachiever, I just crush a lot of tests.”
So you’ve muscled your way through O-chem, physics, calculus, and

most likely a slew of biology classes. And now you’ve made it. Med
school in sunny Southern California, with all the privileges of being a
medical student, and none of the stress, since all these “preclinical
courses” like CBB and OP are just a rehash of what you so thoroughly
aced as an undergrad. Right?
Wrong. The courses here will demand an exhaustive knowledge of the

subject that may be foreign even to the most battle-scarred science pre-
med. If you went to a school where essay questions and final papers for
biology and biochem classes were the norm, you may need to rethink
your strategy a bit. Generally speaking, knowing the general story won’t
be enough to get you by. You’ll need to know the specific details and be
able to reproduce them at a drop of a hat. Additionally, you should get
used to taking multiple-choice tests that are devoid of even the miniscule
amount of compassion afforded by the grader’s “red pen of destiny.”
Multiple-choice tests will be used to evaluate you in most UCSD SOM
classes, and you’ll even have this format for every portion of your
USMLE, as well as most of the board certification and recertification
exams.
On the good side, you’ll spend less time with fundamental building blocks
of a subject than your comrades from the humanities - at first. As you
move into the more clinically relevant areas of the preclinical curriculum
(which begins to happen by the end of first year, and doesn’t get into full
swing until well into second year), everyone will find himself or herself on
a level playing field.
In the meantime, the key to everything will be to stay on top of the

material. Falling behind can present an insurmountable obstacle to the
holy ‘P.’ Staying on top of the material necessitates neither that you have
“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” – Albert Einstein
28
no life, nor should it take more than a few hours a day. Be good to
yourself, and enjoy that sunny San Diego weather and the beautiful
people on the beach.
Getting married
“Communication is the key.”
A number of students get married during med school, a few even do it

during the school year. Yeah, kind of crazy. Contrary to what many
people think, medical student’s weddings aren’t usually those weddings
where the spouse is the one who planned the whole thing. I was very
involved in mine throughout the whole process, so my life during the
Winter and Spring quarter was kind of hectic yet interesting. Even so,
nothing could have possibly spoiled the excitement of planning my
wedding, and although it was stressful at times, I wouldn’t change a thing
if I had to go back and do it again. There is never a convenient time to
get married or have kids in medical school, so if you want to do it, just
make it happen. Also, remember that it’s okay to take one less elective
or do one less activity to make time for wedding planning.
The pros of being married in med school are that all those singles will
think you are mature and everyone recognizes your time commitments.
Although it’s hard to balance spending time with your spouse and
spending time socializing with classmates, I find that there are plenty of
time for both family and study. As medical school is tough from time to
time, it’s nice to have someone at home with perspective and provide
support. It’s wonderful to have a “down-to-earth” and non-medically
oriented encouragement only a few feet away. Also, you can always use
the excuse that “I’m married” to get out of parties, but of course the con
of marriage is that you miss out on a lot of these social activities as well.
The clichéd advice that makes marriage during medical school work out
is that you have to make sure to constantly communicate with your
spouse about what’s going on with your studies. The more that your
spouse knows about what’s going on in med school, the easier it will be
for him/her to understand the time commitment required and your need
for support. Also, make sure that you set aside a good hour or so each
night to spend time with your better half.
“Whatever you are, be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln

29
Parent
“Super mom!”
Pregnancy, parenthood, and medical school seem impossible to do at
the same time. Not at UCSD, where the faculty and staff are supportive
and understanding to your unique situation. You should always talk to
faculty members about your limitations and concerns. They are often
flexible on matters that concern your health and your soon-to-be-born
child.
Also, the administration will be quite helpful, particularly your counselor

and the staff of the Office of Student Affairs. Your counselor can advise
you on the best time to have a child, provide contacts with other medical
students who are parents, and give you more detailed insight than this
short guide. For example, if you’re going to become a parent during the
third year, your counselor can adjust your rotation schedule so that you
can spend some quality time with your baby.
Regarding a good time to become pregnant, here are some options.

Many students suggest the fourth year because your schedule is flexible
and school is not as grueling. Remember, on the other hand, that you
have residency interviews between the latter half of fall to winter quarter
of the fourth year. You may not want to be pregnant when traveling
around the country interviewing. You can always take a year off after
your third year rotation and have the time to enjoy your pregnancy while
finishing your ISP. Pregnancy during the second year is another option,
after which you could take a year off before starting third year. Once
again speaking to your counselor and other students is a must.
Recovering slacker
“Rude Awakening for the Smarty-Pants”
That’s right, you’re a medical student. I know, I know, it’s pretty hard to
believe you made it here. One minute you’re doing a keg-stand and
dancing until the wee hours of the morning, and the next you’re knee
deep in the Krebs cycle. You managed to breeze through college with
straight A’s solely by the parenchyma of your frontal cortex and you’re
pretty sure you’ll do the same at UCSD.
I’m here to tell you, it’s definitely not going to be that easy! Medical
school is a humbling experience, especially for slackers like us. Let me
give you some advice. I know you won’t listen to a single thing I say (I
wouldn’t have when I was in your position), but as parents around the
globe chide, “One day, you’ll understand.” First things first: If you end up
failing an exam or a class, don’t let it get you down. Believe it or not,
things will work out. You are going to have to work hard to succeed, not
only by learning all the material everyone else is studying, but also by
having to go through a change of lifestyle. You must constantly remind
30
I’m not paranoid but I know that you all think I am.
yourself why you came here in the first place. Why the heck do you want
to be a doctor? Write the reasons down and look at it every now and
again to remind yourself why you are diligently working toward your goal
of graduating from medical school.
Okay, now what you need is something called a “work ethic.” Step one:
Remember all those nerds in college with 15 different clicky colored
pens, 8 Hi-Liters, sticky tabs, and 3-ring binders large enough to hold the
entire contents of the Library of Congress in 8 pt. font? You are now one
of them. I suggest systematic desensitization by watching “Revenge of
the Nerds.” Hint: Make friends with the guys at Office Depot and they’ll
let you know when the new shipments of flashcards arrive or even tell
you about the “special” Hi-Liters on aisle 5.
Crazy as this might sound, you will learn to dedicate hours of each day to
the task of reading the same minutiae over and over until a good portion
of the syllabus finally sticks inside your sleep-deprived, caffeine-wired
brain. Rinse and repeat for the next two years. It’s called memorization
and it doesn’t play well with the slacker’s motto: “Oh, I’ll just figure it out
during the exam.” You cannot “figure out” on what chromosome the
gene responsible for von Recklinghausen’s is (the long arm of
chromosome 17).
In medical school, you must become a machine. Fill your radiator with
antifreeze, gun the engines, ignore the toxic fumes spilling out of your
tailpipe, and hold on for the ride.
Being older
“Damn, I’m a geezer.”
“I’m 35 years old and haven’t been in school for over 10 years!” “I would
be at least 8 years older than most in my class; can I relate to the other
students? Would I make friends?”
The answer is YES! UCSD, like many other med schools across the
nation, has an average entering age that is on the rise (about 25 now).
As long as you don’t think you are too mature for the standard med
school antics, you will do fine. As for studying: you might have taken
some time off before medical school to experience life, and it might seem
difficult to get back into studying mode. Academically, you might feel to
be at a disadvantage, but rest assured that after the first quarter, the
playing field is leveled and if you keep your motivation and perspective in
place, you will do just fine. The advantage to being “old” is that you have
31
“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” – Mark Twain
gained wisdom from the past experiences, which really shine through in
the stories you share and the “maturity” you convey. Furthermore, you
will be more focused on studying than most other students.
Socially speaking, everyone ultimately finds a niche and no one is

particularly “ageist”, although you might be hanging out with the “older”
group. But for every crack you get about being old, you will be able to
dish one out about someone’s being young. As for partying, it doesn’t
matter whether your classmates are 4 years younger or 4 years older,
everyone can party.
Truthfully speaking, no one cares how old you are, if anything, they are
intrigued by all the things you know.
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transsexual

“Bringing diversity”
The UCSD SOM community is really receptive to gay, lesbian, bisexual,

or transgender medical students. The environment here is a safe and
open one, where the structure of the school encourages students to get
to know their peers and feel comfortable being ourselves. We not only
have the University Community Centers (including the Cross Cultural
Center, the Women’s Center, and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transsexual Resource Center) committed to this issue, but the medical
curriculum actually incorporates the topic into our education. This is
especially true in doctor-patient relationship and healthcare issue classes
such as SBS. Furthermore, there are several out and open GLBT
faculty members who give cultural competency lectures on various GLBT
topics in their perspective fields. This serves to educate our peers as
well as prepare us to better take care for GLBT patients.
In addition, the OSA is very supportive and has made the experience for
GLBT students at UCSD to be a tremendously positive one. Locally,
there are also several GLBT groups outside of school in San Diego, so
finding great places to hang out and have fun is not a problem either.
With so many students, friends, faculty providing support, resources, and
friendship, being GLBT is definitely not one of the worrisome issues in
medical school.
32
“Keep your eyees on the stars, and
d your feet on the ground.” – Theoddore Roosevelt
Working part time

“I love mo
oney! Give me
m money!”
Medical school is our full time profession fo

or the next four years, and
d for
somee a “second job”
j may be manageable,, although on ne needs spe ecial
perm
mission from th
he school to do
d so.
The benefits of working

w part--time during medical scho ool are two-ffold.
First,, the extra caash is nice to have, especcially since we e are all on tight
t
budg gets or are tryying to minimiize the amount we borrow w. Even thoug gh it
might seem trivial, the extra am mount I earn does
d make a lot of differennce.
It’s a little bit morre pocket money that I can spend on a nice dinner out
once e in a while. Secondly, a part-time job b gives me a break and a life
outside of medicin ne. It’s so eaasy to becomme entrapped in the bubble e of
medical school an nd get overwhelmed with school that a job really he elps
me g get out of the ivory tower an nd get some fresh
f he world outside.
air of th
Mostt students who w work during

d med school have flexible, low- l
maintenance jobs such as tutoring or teachiing the MCAT Ts. This indu ustry
lets yyou pick yourr schedule and does not in nvolve too muuch outside work.
w
Another excellent job opportun nity available here at UCS SD SOM is be eing
a class note takerr. Being a no ote taker simp ply means tha at you have too go
to claass every da ay and take good,
g compre ehensive note es of the lecture,
which h you post on the class webpage
w in a timely manner. The pa ay is
deceent and I thinkk of it as “getting paid to stu
udy”. Not tooo bad, eh?
While e it’s true tha
at holding an outside job will
w take up sp pace in our busy
b
schedule, there iss still plenty of
o time to stud dy, especiallyy if you keep the
numb ber of hours you
y work to below
b 10 per week. A partt time job can n be
reallyy fun and a pllace where yo ou can earn money
m while getting
g your mind
m
off scchool. It’s goood for you annd it’s good for the econom my.
33
“Be a note taker, it helps keep you from falling behind in the material.”
34
Tips for success in academics
General study tips

1. This is the most important tip: stay on top of things. Classes move
much faster than in undergrad, and you will have less time to catch up if
you fall behind. Here are a few reasons why you should constantly make
an effort to stay up to speed.
a. You won’t know if you are going to need tutorial help unless you keep
up with the material and deal with confusing subjects as you encounter
them. If you do need tutorial help it is best NOT to wait until the week of
the exam to schedule an appointment.
b. Time-consuming problems always pop up at the worst time (e.g.
needing to repair your car). If you have been keeping up with school,
then you won’t go into a panic attack if disaster strikes the week of the
exam.
2. Study with a buddy (or several). Remember that two heads are better
than one. While a few brave souls choose to study alone on a regular
basis, group studying is an excellent way to learn more in a shorter
amount of time, and you get the latest gossip in the class. Be flexible
with your groups. In other words, it is a good idea to have a variety of
people with whom you can study. Diversity of ideas will help you learn
the material better. The other benefits are numerous:
a. Combine notes, add in big sib hand-me-down notes/study aids. (Only

student generated materials should be passed down, not syllabi or old
exams - according to SOM policy).
b. In a study group you can fill in each other’s gaps and form a very
comprehensive picture of the subject matter.
c. We all have different backgrounds, which may lead some students to
understand some material earlier or with less effort than others. These
people can help others learn the material better.
d. Study groups facilitate active learning!
e. On more time-consuming work, you can split up the material and
teach each other what you’ve learned. Or you can all do the entire work
and review to make sure that all the details are engrained. One word of
caution: Make sure that all the information that you get from your study
buddies is correct. If in doubt, look it up!
f. Perhaps most importantly, your study group will offer you lots of moral
support when things get hard (personally, academically, socially and
otherwise), and when stress runs high.
3. Know your schedule well. If you don’t have an organizer, get one!
Make a weekly schedule and a monthly schedule so you can plan in
advance for the weeks where you have a paper and two tests! Make
your life easier by using the online schedule under the Calendar tab of
the Web Portal at <http://meded-portal.ucsd.edu>
35
Few men have the natural strength to honor a friend’s success without envy.
4. While studying for your first and second year courses, it is a good
idea to buy a few board review books and study with these as you go
along. One of the all-time favorite board review books is First Aid for the
USMLE Step 1. Knowing First Aid by heart will put you well on the way to
passing. It is suggested that you simultaneously study for your classes
while incorporating a little board studying so that you can get an early
feel for how the boards tests various subjects. Also, over the last few
years the USMLE has become very clinical with nearly 80% of questions
being clinical vignettes. So make sure you supplement your studying with
clinical cases, like the ones found in Underground Clinical Vignettes.
Don’t forget to include reading MRIs, X-rays, Histology and Pathology
slides in the list of things to study.
5. Don’t put off memorizing material until the night before the exam.
Save the minutia for the night before, but memorize all the concepts and
the important details as you’re studying along. Exams tend to focus on
concepts more than random details.
6. Always try to be active in your learning. In other words, integrate

different topics; make charts, diagrams, and pictures; do practice
problems; explain concepts to a friend. Ask yourself, “Do I understand
why this fact is being taught in medical school (trusting that very often
the clinical relevance of some factoid is frustratingly subtle and
forgettable)?”
7. Divide your studying into a series of short tasks. Don’t wait until you
have 2 or 3 hours to study. Use small bits of time while your clothes are
drying or a bit of your lunch for active studying tasks.
8. Beware of the temptation to “rob Peter to pay Paul”- in other words,

don’t fall behind in one class (or skip class) to study for another. This
goes back to the first tip we gave you: stay on top of things!!
Suggested patterns for active studying

(A full description of the active study method, time management, test-
taking, and responses to frequently asked questions can be accessed
from the Office of Educational Support Services website at:
<medschool.ucsd.edu/tutorial/assistance.html>)
GOAL: Use your lecture notes to make a complete but rough draft of all
the material you need to know. From these notes make final draft
summary sheets that include charts, diagrams, and pictures, with only
the information you think is necessary to memorize.
How to Attain Your Goal

1. Pre-read!
In other words, skim through the material that will be covered in lecture
before you go. Pre-reading should take about 10-15min per hour of
upcoming lecture.
36
“If you want to be happy, be.” – Leo Tolstoy
Why do it?! First of all, you’re less likely to fall asleep in lecture if you
know what the professor is talking about. Some lecturers talk as if you
know the material already. Hence, you can take notes more actively
during lecture. It gives you the time to think about the material during
lecture, as well as the opportunity to ask the lecturer questions on
confusing topics.
2. Taking Lecture Notes

This should be an active process. Make sure to leave lots of space for
corrections and additions to your notes. Use abbreviations and symbols
to develop your own shorthand, especially for macromolecules, genes,
diseases, etc. This will speed you up as you get more and more used to
it. If you are a bad note-taker, think about getting the Class Notes. But
don’t use the Class Notes as a substitute; use them as a supplement!
Why do it?! Thinking about the lecture material during the lecture will
help you learn it and retain it longer. Passive learning is inefficient
learning, so you want to make lectures as much an active learning
experience as possible. Additionally, by putting some energy into taking
notes you will be saving yourself time later.
3. Fixing Lecture Notes

Organize your notes and add to them any other material that you see
fit, such as pictures, diagrams, charts, etc. During this time, design the
variety of summary materials that will form the final draft for the material.
Use the text and/or syllabus to fill in any unfinished sentences or
paragraphs and add any extra info you think might be needed to create
your summaries. It’s also a good idea to review your lecture notes within
24-48 hours after the lecture. This way, the material is still “semi-fresh”
in your mind and you are more likely to remember if not understand your
own abbreviations and notes.
Why do it?! Fixing notes will help you create summaries more efficiently
and will also serve as a great reference for the rest of the course. You
will waste less time looking for things, and spend more time learning
them if you master this step.
4. Summarizing the Notes

This is when it all comes together! The goal is to create a well-organized
final draft of the material that you are actually going to memorize. Don’t
lose sight of the big picture: Limit the material covered in a single
summary to an amount that is reasonable to memorize – don’t bite off
more than you can chew. Don’t hesitate to include the same information
on different summaries, especially if they are organizing the material
from different points of view or at different levels of detail. We also
recommend putting your summaries on note cards!
Why do it?! True understanding of the material requires adequate

memorization of detail and integration of the relationships of the material.
37
“Eighty percent of success is showing up.” – Woody Allen
This is perhaps the most important step for the exam since it helps you
focus on your weaknesses, gives you an idea of how much you don’t
know. Also, if you have summaries on note cards, they are more
portable.
5. Memorize, memorize, memorize!

Whether you like it or not, med school involves a lot of memorization.
The sooner you realize this, the better you will do. People have different
methods of doing this. Consider splitting your summaries and doing a
little at a time. Practice while you memorize by writing it out on paper or a
board. Wash. Rinse. Repeat!
Why do it?! The more details you know, the more confident you will feel
on exam day (and probably the better you will do on the exam).
Final notes
1. Some courses offer old exams. You should definitely take advantage
of them, as well as practice exams from the OESS. The best way to
integrate them into your studying is to use them as practice problems
while you are creating summaries and studying. DO NOT SAVE THEM
FOR THE END! That can only lead to panic.
2. After every exam, a number of students will say, “I understood the

material, but I couldn’t answer the questions – I need help with test-
taking.” Test-taking strategies can always be improved but usually the
problem is mostly due to studying strategies. In many cases, students
understood general concepts but did not memorize enough facts to
answer the questions. Medical school requires a much greater level of
understanding than undergraduate classes. Knowing how much detail to
learn is difficult, and varies with each class; old exams, when available,
can be helpful as well as listening to the professor’s emphasis during
lecture (many profs will drop BIG hints about what is important).
“The Keith Cross Flashcard Method”
1. Buy a stack of blank 3x5 index cards. (The UCSD bookstore is pricey.
Buy them at a stationery/grocery store.)
2. Bring them to lectures, reviews, problem sessions, etc.
3. Every time an interesting tidbit comes up, or a list of the five things
that cause X, or the four symptoms of Y, or the chemical structure of Z –
make a “test question” out of it, and put the answer on the back side.
4. Review the cards periodically — particularly if you are standing around
in line for something — in quiz mode, as if it was an exam question.
5. Spend the last 10 minutes before you fall asleep and the first 10
minutes after you wake up reviewing the flash cards (for some
neuropsych reason, this approach is remarkably effective). Yes, single
people get an advantage here.
6. When exams roll around, gradually take the flash cards you know out
of the deck. Spend more and more time on a progressively smaller deck
of the hardest cards. Keep cycling each card till you know it perfectly.
38
“I have so many different personalities in me and I still feel lonely.” – Tori Amos
39
Test Taking Strategies
Improving test-taking strategies never hurts and can help you display
what you really do know. Below are some common difficulties and
suggestions for solutions.
1. “I always get it down to 2 answers and then always choose the wrong
one.”
Two different processes often contribute to this:
a. We unconsciously equate effort with accuracy. For example, if it
takes 30 seconds to justify one answer, and 5 minutes to justify
another, we tend to erroneously pick the answer that took longer to
justify.
b. We are too subjective and want to pick answers that “sound” right.
If you can justify one answer with an equation, it’s probably right, even
though another answer may “look” or “feel” right.
2. “I agonize over each multiple choice answer repeatedly and I get

nowhere.”
Try the following technique: Use a marking system to help you choose
the best answer. For example, use “TT, T, ?, F, FF” to assign a “truth”
value to each answer as you first read it — before you agonize over any
of them. For example:
TT = definitely true
T = probably true
? = one you are really not sure of
F = probably false
FF = definitely false
Think about each answer, but don’t change the original “truth” value.
You should only change it when you recall an equation or relationship
you suddenly remembered.
3. “Some of those questions are tricky.”

Many “trick” questions aren’t tricky at all. They just require careful
reading. For each answer, read the stem and the answer as one
continuous statement. Make sure the statement answers the question
asked. While reading each answer, make sure the entire statement is
correct, not just half. Slow down by underlining, boxing, circling key
words such as “not”, “except”.
4. “I ran out of time.”

Not finishing an exam is one of the worst mistakes you can make while
taking a test. In order to avoid this, try the following:
a. Mark questions you are unsure of. Do not spend too long on any one
question! Skip tough ones and come back.
b. Bring a watch or small clock and put it on your desk so that you
know how much time you have left to finish the test.
Better to remain silent and thought to be a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
40
Electives
You will discover that there are many electives to choose from each
quarter. Some elective courses are not offered each term, and their
schedule does change from one year to the next so don’t assume that
one you want to take will be on the next schedule. Check the Elective
Bulletin under the Resource Information link on the Web Portal for a list
of classes and requirements.
There is a lottery for spots in the popular electives or in electives with

limited enrollment, such as the preceptorships and the Free Clinic. If you
sign up for a draw, have other electives in mind in case you don’t get
lucky. But don’t stress too much over the electives lottery, if you don’t
get in this term, chances are good that you will in subsequent quarters.
In the fall, the Emergency Elective is very popular, along with Free Clinic
and Politics of Medicine. The Doc Electives are easy units (1 unit per
presentation) that take up one lunch hour meetings and one afternoon
where you go and teach kids about various health topics like tobacco or
nutrition.
Be sure to take full advantage of the electives as there are many

amazing courses offered that expand your medical knowledge beyond
what is “normally” taught in a medical school curriculum. Examples of
some such classes are Medical Hypnosis, Wilderness Medicine, a
course on drawing called Healer’s Art, Plant Medicine, and Politics of
Medicine (a course taught by the ex-head of the CMA, Robert Hertzka).
Have fun with your electives!!
“The aim of scientific work is truth. While we internally recognise something as true, we judge, and
while we utter judgements, we assert.” – Gottlob Frege
41
Podcast
Two years ago, some amazing classmates of 2010 convinced the faculty
to podcast the lectures. The purpose of podcast is not so that you can
skip class, but to reinforce what you’ve heard in lecture and to fill in the
gaps of information you’ve missed. The podcast is completely student-
run, and unfortunately, not all courses and/or professors will let us
podcast their lectures. Nevertheless, having podcast has been of
enormous help to our studies.
Summer Research
If you are interested in doing research over the summer after your first
year, you have several options for stipends to help you afford to stay in
San Diego. Many students do research in labs with faculty and receive
the NIH or MSTAR program grant for the summer. In addition to this
great opportunity, you can also begin an ISP out of the project.
Applications for the summer research grants and work study are
completed in winter quarter and were due last year around end of
March/beginning of April. This sneaks up quickly on you when in the
depths of the winter quarter so it is a good idea to get started as soon as
possible (i.e. when the idea hits you!). Ask professors early so you will
be on time for the deadlines. And remember IRB Human Subjects
approval for new projects often takes 3+ months, so definitely start early.
How much better a thing it is to be envied than to be pitied.

42
FIRST YEAR
FALL QUARTER
Congratulations, you’re an MSI!
Welcome to your first year lecture hall: SPPS Auditorium. Don’t be

surprised when other students whom you do not recognize show up in
class. The second year Pharmacy students will be with you for all
courses except SBS and ICM. Get to know them: after all you’ll be
working with them all year and in the future!
Relax and have fun in the fall, you’ll start class at 9am (except Thursday
mornings where you have SBS, which start at 8am) and can spend your
lunch breaks on Frisbee, naps, maybe a little studying, and getting to
know your classmates. The pace isn’t too hectic and this quarter is a nice
ease into med school.
One aspect of medical school that may be new to you is having proctors
in the lecture room during exams. You will be required to leave your
backpack and other personal effects at the front of the room and will
have to use calculators provided by the SOM. This is how the faculty has
decided to administer exams. Once you get used to it, it becomes
second nature.
Cell Biology and Biochemistry (CBB)

CBB has been undergoing a lot of changes in the past few years so
these descriptions may not pertain to this year’s course and are based
on last year’s. CBB is divided into three major groupings: Biochemistry
In Health and Disease (BHDC), Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease
(CMBD), and Immunology and Host Response (IMM), also included are
laboratory courses and reading workshops. As part of CBB, a series of
Clinical correlates are offered, which provide real-world examples of the
disease processes you encounter in CBB. Genetics is also a component
of CBB although it is taught in the mini-block at the end of the quarter.
You must pass all four sections to pass the course!
If you have a strong background in one or more of these areas, great,

but do not get cocky, lots of biochemistry majors have underestimated
“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop

43
these classes and have had to scramble during finals. It should be
emphasized that for all the sections YOU DO NOT NEED BOOKS! There
is a syllabus you can purchase at the bookstore but most of the lecture
notes are provided (however “The Cell” does come with a cool imitation
of the Beatles “Revolver” cover for its cover art). Handouts are available
at each lecture to be picked up so if you miss a class or opt to not go to
lectures have someone get them for you. There are class notetakers for
these courses and they post their notes on the forum. The final grade for
the entire course combines all of the components and is given after the
Genetics portion is completed.
In general, the three morning hours on MTWF are a combination of

BHDC and CMBD, while IMM lectures are given on Monday and Friday
afternoons. Thursday morning is SBS, and Clinical Correlates is 3 - 5 on
Mondays.
Biochemistry in Health and Disease (BHD)

Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: 3, non-cumulative (but some material builds on the past)
¾ Tips to success: Know the pathways and commonalities between them. Dr.
Dennis’s cover sheet information are also high-yield study guides.
¾ Textbook “must-haves”: None, lecture handouts are sufficient
Thought you had seen the Krebs cycle for the last time on the MCAT?
Wrong. The course materials here are detailed, and demanding. During
the past year, Drs. Taylor, Dennis, and Jennings have worked hard to
improve BHD and their effort really paid off. The class handouts are
extremely well organized and pay special attention to those disease lists
- they’re great study guides. As for books, the Voet text is a solid adjunct,
but many people find the Lippincott’s Illustrated Review of Biochemistry
to have more succinct, intuitive explanations, while another good book is
the Lehninger Biochemistry book. None of these books are required
though, as the notes are excellent, and all test questions come from the
lecture notes. For Dr. Dennis’s lectures, know everything on the handout
cover sheets cold, paying special attention to the clinical information. If
there is a class this quarter worth making flashcards for, this is it.
Drawing out the pathways on your own is also helpful. As for Dr.
Taylor’s lectures, just be sure that you have the pathways down, paying
special attention to the commonalities or running themes that she will
point out throughout her lectures. As for Dr. Jennings’s lectures, the
class may seem to present a huge volume of detail but she wants you to
come away with the basics covered in the summary of each lecture.
Hopefully, BHD pulls together many of the loose ends of the other
classes, leaving you with a more complete understanding of concepts
covered in other sections. The exams are multiple choice and not
cumulative, and each one mostly covers one section presented by one
professor.
Willpower is eating just one salted peanut.
44
Cellular Basis of Molecular Disease (CMBD)
Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: 3, non-cumulative
¾ Tips to success: Use the lecture handouts to study, especially pay attention
to the figures!
¾ Textbook “must-haves”: None
CMBD is headed by Drs. Spector and Farquar, but there are quite a few
guest lecturers who will give lectures in their area of expertise. There
was almost a different lecturer for every class meeting, and their quality
ranges on a spectrum. In the past, students were provided with great
(colored!) handouts with lots of illustrations and most professors stick
closely to the order of the syllabus. Again, you may find Lippincott’s
Illustrated Review of Biochemistry to be very helpful. Exams in this class
are multiple choice and again, not cumulative. However, some questions
tend to be detail-oriented, while others are more application-based,
making these exams more challenging than initially expected.
Unfortunately, many students put CMBD on the back burner while
working on other classes and scramble the night before the exam to
cram enough to pass. April Apperson from the tutorial office makes
excellent organizational materials to assist you in learning the details and
are definitely worth getting (this is true for all first year courses – keep
checking the web portal for her handouts and practice exams).
Immunology and Host Response (IMM)

Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: 2, cumulative
¾ Tips to success: Learn the concepts, memorize what you can.
¾ Textbook “must-haves”: Immunobiology: the Immune System in Health &
Disease
This has been the hardest course of the CBB block for some students
due to the sheer volume and complexity of information. You have a
lecture at the start that covers the entire course in 50 minutes. Don’t be
scared. You aren’t responsible for this lecture on the first exam; it is just
showing you what you will know by the end. Dr. Baird teaches the
course, complete with personally-crafted/sung immuno songs, which are
an entertaining way of learning the material. Be sure to attend lecture as
lecture notes tend to be dense and not very self-explanatory; mostly,
they consist of PowerPoint slides of replications of textbook figures.
This class is stressful if you’ve never seen immunology before, but not so
bad if you can tell the difference between T and B cells. The textbook is
highly recommended if this is your first time studying this subject. In
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” – Plato
45
addition, Dr. Baird teaches Path in 2nd year and the textbook will come in
handy then too. You do have to know all the cytokines, but Dr. Baird is
the best CBB exam writer and he tends to like big picture quesions. The
final exam IS cumulative and is much harder than people expect. In
subsequent years, you probably will use the stuff from this segment of
CBB more than the material from other segments. Mastering
immunology now will have payoffs in later courses, particularly Histology,
Hematology, and Pathology. Thus, even though there are only two
afternoons of IMM, you should learn this course’s material well.
CBB Lab
Every once in a while, there is a required lab session to incorporate
lecture material with some hands-on experience. Lab is low-stress and
no outside work is necessary if you make use of in-class time. These
labs are part of CBB and not to be confused with the elective lab course
offered first quarter for students who want to review and/or learn about
certain laboratory techniques which meets once a week for a few hours.
The lab elective can be taken as an alternative to reading workshop.
Reading Workshop
Almost everyone takes this section of CBB instead of the lab elective.
There are usually 10 different groups – a few are excellent, a few are
horrendous, many fall in between. The groups are based on different
topics and meet once a week for the major block portion of the quarter.
Students do two presentations on journal articles, usually one with
another student in the group and another one alone. If you want to know
which groups are good, talk to your big sib as Reading Workshop tends
to offer most of the same groups each year. A key item is that your
reading group facilitator WILL SUBMIT A WRITTEN EVALUATION of
your work, so don’t blow off your presentation, and ask questions!
Clinical Correlates (CC)

CC meets once a week to demonstrate the clinical relevance of all the
CBB segments. There are different topics and lectures; most also have
patients who attend and share their experiences. There are no exams
and low expectations, but beware that the professors who sponsor an
individual section may put questions pertinent to that CC on his or her
exam. The lecturers here are not research PhDs unlike most of CBB
professors, but clinical MDs. Even more importantly, being able to
communicate with the patients make CC the best section of all courses
fall quarter. Furthermore, this is also good preparation for the third year,
so you will find attending the Clinical Correlates to be worthwhile. If
nothing else, it will help you remember why you came to med school in
the first place. The doctors and patients donate their time and experience
so this class is scheduled in late afternoon to accommodate their
schedules.
“To explode a myth is accordingly not to deny the facts but to re-allocate them.” – Gilbert Ryle
46
Social & Behavioral Sciences:
The doctor/patient relationship (SBS-I)
Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: 1 final (multiple choice + short response), 1 group leader
discussion paper, 2 hospital visit papers
¾ Tips to success: Pay attention to the fact lists when studying for final.
SBS-I is the first class to expose you to real, live patients as well as a
general introduction to UCSD’s fine teaching hospitals. You will spend
three of your Saturday mornings wearing a little white coat and driving
around to the city’s hospitals to interview patients. One of the many
goals of this course is to learn patient-interviewing techniques. At this
stage of your medical education, this means being personable and
considerate to patients while achieving a level of comfort in their
presence. In this role, you will begin to develop your patient-interviewing
and communication skills. Besides these three hospital visits (which may
include a highly-recommended hospice visit), you will have lectures and
small group discussions on medical ethics, death and dying, human
sexuality, and cross-cultural issues. The hospice visits were the best part
of this course according to several students.
More effort goes into the small-group discussions and papers (fairly
easy, but you have to do them) than studying. Some of the facilitators
leading the small groups are fascinating and worth getting to know. They
might even be convinced to provide munchies or hold class outdoors on
nice days. There is no course text, and you will be provided with a
syllabus, while all of the required readings will be on E-reserve. There is
a multiple-choice final exam, which can be more difficult than students
anticipate. Make sure you learn any testable details and feel confident
answering short essay questions about the material. Many students
complain about the “fluffy” nature of the course, but be forewarned:
material covered in this course WILL appear on the boards.
In addition to the final exam, your course evaluation will include a

narrative evaluation written by your facilitator of your performance in
small group. These narratives go into students’ files, are summarized
(and can be quoted) in Medical Student Performance Evaluations
(MSPEs). Be aware that any negative attitudes or comments may come
back to haunt you in the evaluation. So, in your small groups, be friendly,
positive, and talkative. Don’t sound rude or negative or you may end up
regretting it later. Finally, this course provides an opportunity to learn
much more about fellow classmates who are in the same small group as
you.
“Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.” – Jimi Hendrix
47
MINI-BLOCK
First year mini-block occurs between the Thanksgiving and Winter
breaks. You will take two courses here: Genetics (the last component of
CBB) and Principles of Pharmacology (POP). It’s a two week section
with only 2 classes, but don’t let it throw you off your guard. Do NOT get
behind! The POP exam in Mini-block factors into your winter POP score,
so score well in it!
Human Genetics
Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: 1
¾ Tips to success: Do LOTS of practice problems.
¾ Textbook “must-haves”: Maybe the required text: Genetics in Medicine
Genetics is taught during the three-week mini course beginning after

Thanksgiving break, but still is part of the CBB course. There are new
course directors, and last year was their first year teaching it. As a
result, changes have been made this year to alter those aspects that
didn’t work last year. Here’s what Gabrielle Haddad has to say about the
revisions: “the course will be different in that we are planning to have
less didactic hours and more case discussion during the course.” This
isn’t like your undergrad genetics. Less time is spent on calculating chi
“First law of socio-genetics: celibacy is not hereditary”

48
squares, and more time on a big picture understanding of genetics. Don’t
blow off studying though, as the exam was challenging last year. Don’t
stress though, just study on a regular basis and you’ll be fine. Dr.
Haddad is a great professor that really cares about the students so don’t
hesitate to approach him if you’re finding the subject matter difficult!
Principles of Pharmacology (POP)

Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: 1
¾ Tips to success: Practice calculations.
¾ Textbook “must-haves”: Syllabus
In the Fall POP Mini-Course, you will begin by studying the principles of
pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. In addition, you will learn
about ion channels, smooth muscle, and the autonomic nervous system.
Be sure to master the autonomic nervous system, because this material
is the foundation for Winter POP and also comes up in many other
courses, including Organ Physiology (OP). There will be several
professors for this section, just keep up with the information and don’t fall
behind. Know how to do the various calculations in pharmacokinetics as
well as those that pertain to dose-response curves. Do as many practice
problems as you can! Flash cards work well for this course throughout its
entirety, especially in Winter and Spring POP.
Many students run into trouble on the Mini-Course exam because they
run out of time. SOM policy doesn’t allow you to use your own calculator.
If you are worried about using an unfamiliar calculator, you can go to the
Tutorial Program office prior to the exam to try out the calculators that
will be provided for you. If you are really inclined, the calculators
provided are Texas Instrument TI-30XAs.
The supplementary texts for POP throughout first year are Katzung and
Goodman and Gilman. Katzung is relatively inexpensive and fairly
portable (a useful feature if you study away from home), yet Goodman
and Gilman is expensive, though Goodman and Gilman is a good
reference and will be constantly cited during your first two years (plus it
will look good in your future office bookshelf). If you like review books,
Lippincott’s Illustrated Reviews: Pharmacology is well written, concise,
and worth the low cost. Note that the Mini-Course POP is officially a
component of the Winter POP course. The exam at the end of the Mini-
Course is considered a midterm and is included in the grade given at the
end of Winter POP.
"One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small. And the ones that mother gives you don't
do anything at all. Go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall." – Grace Slick
49
FIRST YEAR
WINTER QUARTER
Needless to say, this quarter will be more challenging so don’t wait until
the first weekend to get started studying. The courses take off rapidly
and keep on flying at top speed until you take your last final. You only
have about two weeks to learn each section of Organ Physiology, except
cardio where you have four weeks, before each exam, so many of you
will be studying non-stop.
Winter POP
Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: 2 (1 midterm, 1 final)
¾ Tips to success: Memorize the drugs, its mechanism of action, and side
effects. Make flashcards and go over them whenever you have time.
This quarter, POP will begin to develop your ever-growing repertoire of

drugs. Red drugs, blue drugs, bad drugs, new drugs. With Dr. Laiken
leading the Pharmacology Professor team, the course continues with the
autonomic nervous system and its relevant pharmacology. The key to
understanding autonomic drugs is to understand the physiology of the
autonomic nervous system. Do not underestimate the importance of
knowing the drugs on the drug lists provided by Dr. Laiken! She is very
organized, which is partly why she has won the Kaiser Teaching Award
from the first year class seven times! Know the drug names, classes,
side effects, indications, and contraindications. The exams are difficult,
yet reasonable.
Historically, the POP faculty never releases previous exams but the
Tutorial Program’s practice quizzes can help you gauge the level of
detail you’ll find on exam day. This course is Honors/Pass/Fail (Honors is
usually top 15%). The final exam is cumulative for winter quarter
only, but your score on the Mini-Course exam is combined with your
scores on the Winter POP mid-term and final to determine your grade.
Last year the final was computerized, and the questions were done in the
same way as the USMLE step 1 pharmacology section, to help prepare
you for testing in the USMLE fashion. They may or may not do this
again.
“Give me a lever long enough, and I shall move the world.” – Archimedes
50
Organ Physiology (OP)
Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: 4 (3 midterms: cardio midterm has lecture and CBL
components, 1 final: approximately half GI midterm material, half all other
organ system material)
¾ Tips to success: Gain a firm grasp of the concepts. Keep up by studying a
little bit each night will have great payoffs.
¾ Textbook “must-haves”: Respiratory: Essentials of Respiratory Physiology
Cardio: Syllabus
Renal: Syllabus really…
GI: Gastrointestinal Physiology, which is free
online via AccessMedicine
In the next ten weeks, you’ll learn everything there is to know about
Respiratory, Cardiovascular, Renal, and Gastrointestinal Physiology.
Each organ system is covered separately in two-week sections, except
cardio, which takes up 4 weeks. The separation is so that you won’t
confuse stomach juices with blood pressure; the drawback, however, is
that spending seven or eight days at the beach may mean that you have
no idea how the heart works (i.e., it is difficult to play catch-up). OP
combines all of those detail-type things from CBB with big concepts (e.g.,
the heart is a pump).
Beware: this integration will require some modification in the study style
of many people! If you think you might be having trouble or just want to
get input on how you study and whether it is likely to be effective, talk to
Dr. Laiken or April in the Office of Educational Supporting Services. The
key to OP is to know the concepts, be able to apply them to the big
picture, and know the minutia as well. OP is one of the most difficult
classes at UCSD SOM. Thus, make sure to study for this course – A
LOT! Ask for help BEFORE you run into trouble. This course is also
graded Honor/Pass/Fail.
Respiratory
Dr. Frank Powell, a respiratory physiologist, is the coordinator of the
entire OP course, while Dr. John B. West (i.e., practically the most
famous respiratory physiologist ever) teaches the majority of the
respiratory lectures. Dr. West’s text serves as the only “handout” for his
lectures.
In tranquil moments, we envision our secret dreams...contemplate our deepest thoughts...gather

strength to realize our highest hopes.
51
Many students find it helpful to read the text over winter break (stop
complaining, it's only about 125 pages) to help get back into the swing of
studying. The labs and small group “cases” support the finer points of the
lectures and text. The exam in this section can be very difficult for those
who are not well experienced in the multiple-choice exam arena. You
cannot be too prepared: use your notes, the text, and many old exams to
help you prepare. Make sure you know the concepts tested in all old
exam questions and the practice questions from the textbook! These
practice problems in the text are extremely high yield and honestly reflect
the exam questions. Be sure to practice the calculation problems from
the small group cases as well. You won’t regret it when it comes time for
the exam. Many students feel that this is the hardest section, so practice
the old exam questions and go see the tutorial office if you don’t do well
on the first exam. Attending lecture can be very entertaining, if not for the
material, then for guessing where the lecturer's accent is from.
Cardiovascular
Cardio was headed up by Dr. Kirk Knowlton last year and is taught by
multiple physicians. There is a textbook, but it may not be a worthwhile
purchase as the syllabus is quite detailed and studying from it is
sufficient to doing well on the exam. All of the information you need to
know will be in the syllabus and the notes you take (or your class
notetaker). Cardio offers your first opportunity for Case-Based Learning
(CBL) in small groups that are structured to allow students to teach each
other cardiac physiology. This can be frustrating (what the heck do we
know anyway?), but most students enjoy the experience. Don’t be
surprised when you have to know lecture material ahead of the schedule
for CBL (i.e. before it is covered in lecture).
Cardio is the longest section, has two exams, one of lecture, which is
multiple choice, another one for CBL, which is free response. For the
CBL test, know the Wigger’s Diagram and Pressure-Volume curves cold.
Also, the more lecture hours a professor gives, the more questions
he/she will have on the exam. The lab sections and clinical correlates are
considered supplemental and are designed to augment our learning.
Thus, save studying for these after you’ve mastered the “core” materials.
“There can be things that are happening that are quote, phenomenal, but there's always a scientific
answer to it.” – Damon Lindelof
52
Renal
Renal physiology is taught solely by the Renal Wrangler, Dr. Scott
Thomson. Dr. Thomson loves physics and teaches from a physics
perspective. Hence, this section may feel especially difficult for those
who don’t think “the same way” as Dr. Thomson. If the material is
conceptually difficult for you, it might be a good idea to buy the textbook,
but it is not necessary as long as you study the syllabus. The practice
problems and small group “cases” are tantamount to establishing an
understanding of how the many details fit within the larger concepts.
Remember the equations and directions of ion transport for the exam.
Know all sections of the nephron like it’s your best friend, those numbers
Dr. Thomson gives in the nephron chart - take them seriously to
understand the big concept! The exam is fair, and does test mainly on
the big picture, so don’t drown in the details! Dr. Thomson has been
known to include some questions on his exam that can only be answered
by attending lecture, so it may be worthwhile making the effort for 8am.
Gastrointestinal
GI Physiology is considered by most students to be the most
straightforward. It is headed by Dr. Kim Barnett. Because of the faculty’s
research interests, there is a great deal of emphasis on bilirubin in the
lectures, but the tests fairly cover all of the materials. The textbook is
recommended because it is written by Dr. Barrett. (The text is free
online via AccessMedicine.) But the practice questions at the end of
each chapter do not reflect well what will be tested; some say that these
problems are much easier than the ones on the final.
“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
53
There is a tendency to ignore GI OP as final exams approach; however,
it is important to stay caught up because much information is presented
in the last few days. Small group “cases” are a superb resource for
comprehending the application of the physiology, it’s almost like a study
guide for the exams.
Final Exam: This is a cumulative exam with the questions being

disbursed between the sections according to the number of hours that
were dedicated to them. Thus, the final comes to having ~40% cardio
and ~20% each for GI, renal, and respiratory. Last year it was
computerized, and the questions were done in the same way as the
USMLE step 1 physiology section, to help prepare you for testing in the
USMLE fashion. They may or may not do this again.
Study Aids: The Tutorial Staff distribute many detailed handouts

covering most of the topics. The handouts begin with the basics and
build on the important concepts. Handouts on cardiology,
electrocardiography, and diuresis are very popular with students.
General Approach to OP success: Remember that only a superhuman

or hermit could read every resource and know every detail. There is
much to be said for learning the large concepts and filling in the spaces
with “high-yield” details. Old exams help you determine what more you
need to study. Be sure to invest in the exams that faculty make available
on the forum, so as to give you a better idea as to the types of questions
you will be asked. There might be some questions that are outdated, be
sure to check with April whether the questions are relevant before you
start freaking out. Also, it is very wise to go to April’s reviews scheduled
throughout the quarter.
In regards to OP overall, one student comments: “Do not become

discouraged by OP if you are not doing well, or not meeting your own
personal expectations. It is the first ‘real’ medical school class and many
have never seen the subject matter before. The multitude of different
professors does not exactly facilitate the learning of the material, either.
Go to the labs, the review sessions, and feel comfortable with yourself
that you know the material, or at least have a
general understanding of it. If anything, this was
the one class that will teach you that your grade
is in no way indicative of your effort or
understanding.”
“Gotta keep faith that your path will change, gotta keep faith that your luck will change tomorrow”
– Tim Booth
54
Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM-I)
Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: None really, but 2 OSCEs
¾ Tips to success: What you put in is what you get out of ICM.
¾ Textbook “must-haves”: None required
This is an introduction to patient history taking. Each week, you learn

another part of the history taking process and practice it in small groups.
This can be both fun and useful, depending on your facilitator, but you
have to write up the history in the correct format, which can be a bit
tedious. Ask your big sib if he or she has a template for writing the
history reports! Overall, try to get as much as you can from this class
because it is good preparation for third and fourth year. Write up as
much detail as you can, including all the pertinent positives and
negatives. Invest in Stedman’s Medical Dictionary (or join AMA/CMA to
get one free) and try to begin
learning medical vocabulary; you’ll
have to know it sometime!
ICM this term is Pass/Fail, and

there are no exams. There are,
however, two Objective Structured
Clinical Examinations (OSCEs),
where you practice taking a history
with actor patients. This is one of
the few opportunities where you
get to practice the skills you’ve
learned as a MSI. The OSCE
sessions are videotaped for you to review and you will get feedback on
your performance by an ICM facilitator.
Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS)

BCLS is a fun and important diversion from your basic science courses.
There is one afternoon lecture session featuring the hilarious Dr. Davis, a
CPR research expert, and one evening practice session. All components
are low stress, yet important! Also, there’s no need to purchase the
book. They say that you are required to have it, but the book was really
only marginally useful for the online tests, which you must pass ahead of
time in order to participate in the practical session. Keep an eye out for
BCLS information on the Web Portal over the Winter Break and make
the appropriate arrangements with the coordinator. Don't forget to ask
where the AED is…
”I’ve been brought back to life so many times I don’t know what’s real.” – Finn Andrews (of The
Veils)
55
FIRST YEAR
SPRING QUARTER
Many students say that Spring quarter is not as difficult as Winter quarter
but you will be busier because there are double the number of courses
you are taking. Unfortunately, this quarter isn’t as coordinated between
the courses as it could be. Because there is a test each week starting
with the second week of school, you will mostly likely feel constantly
behind and are playing catch-up to prepare for the upcoming week’s
midterm.
POP
Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: 2 (1 midterm, 1 final)
¾ Tips to success: Make flashcards. Don’t toss POP aside too much!
In Spring POP, you will cover drugs that affect the CNS, such as
antipsychotics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, alcohol, and
anticonvulsants. Dr. Joan Heller-Brown teaches much of this quarter
along with several other expert lecturers. Even though not a lot of hours
is devoted to POP this quarter, be sure not to toss this material aside to
study for Neuro and ERM. What you learn here is very important! This
quarter is all about the side effects and nuances that make up the
differences between the drugs in each class. Spring POP has a mid-term
and a cumulative final, which covered a fair amount of midterm material
as well as the last portion of the course last year. It is also
Honors/Pass/Fail.
Basic Neurology (BN)

Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: 4 (3 midterms, 1 final with lab and lecture components)
¾ Tips to success: Use the review notes. Ask yourself “Where’s the lesion?”
This is a favorite among UCSD SOM students because the course is well
organized. Most of the credit for this goes to Dr. Kritchevsky, who has
received the Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching so many times that
he is no longer eligible for the honor.
Class Time: Dr. Kritchevsky himself gives many of the lectures in BN.
There are also many guest lecturers who speak on topics in their fields of
“What a peculiar privilege has this little agitation of the brain which we call thought – David Hume
56
specialty. Although there are a large number of lecture hours scheduled
for this class, they are worth your time as Dr. K is a seasoned and
organized lecturer. There are also clinical correlations and
demonstrations incorporated into class, and split-brain studies are quite
interesting. Pre-reading the syllabus is REALLY useful in this course.
As the syllabus is easy to follow and clearly written, pre-reading will help
you learn the lecture material and you won’t have to search through the
pages to say on track.
If you don’t like to attend lecture, there are still two sessions which you
must ABSOLUTELY attend each week if you want to do well in the
course: the weekly review and the clinical problem-solving sessions,
which both take place Friday afternoons and stress the highest-yield
concepts. Dr. K highlights the most important weekly lecture material in a
two-hour session and after the review, students break up into small
groups to discuss clinical cases (outlined in the syllabus) in an hour-long
session with knowledgeable TAs. These cases help students think
through clinical problems more than is usually required during the basic
science-oriented pre-clinical years, and are great ways to begin to learn
how to apply theoretical knowledge in real-life clinical situations. Note
that attendance and participation in the clinical problem-solving sessions
earns you 10 points every week (90 points total). Use these sessions to
understand the important concepts presented, which will definitely be
tested later in the midterms and final.
Labs: For those of you who can’t contain yourselves until anatomy next
year, you will get a taste of neuroanatomy this spring. (The topics
covered this quarter in BN will be skipped next year in anatomy.) The lab
segment of BN is hands-on but does not involve dissections – you will
look at slides and specimens of real human brain and spinal cord, MRIs.
At the beginning of the course, you will choose a group of 4-5 students
with whom you like to work and will then proceed through material, to a
large extent, at your own pace. Dr. K. and his team of residents and
support staff are always on hand to answer questions. The lab sessions
are particularly helpful for understanding the pictures and diagrams from
lecture.
There are also Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) sessions that guide
students through anatomy and vasculature of the nervous system via
computer models and images. These CAL labs can be completed on
your own time if you get the program, Brain Storm, installed on your
personal computer from EdCom. Most students skip the scheduled CAL
sessions, but if you want help, Dr. K makes himself available for
questions during that time. The Brain Storm program is a good way to
reinforce and to test yourself on what you’ve learned in both lecture and
anatomy lab.
“The logical objections which might be raised to the statement ‘consciousness is a process in the
brain’ are no greater than the logical objections which might be raised to the statement ‘lightning is
a motion of electric charges’.” – J.J.C. Smart
57
Exams: This course consists of 3 lecture-based midterms and a
cumulative final that includes both a lecture and a lab component given
on the same day. Lecture midterms are one hour, short exams written by
Dr. K. They are made up of 20 multiple-choice questions while the final
has 40 questions. The midterms are each given after every two or three
weeks of material, so it is important to keep up with the material. The
comprehensive final lecture exam is similar in format and difficulty to the
midterm exams. Of the 40 questions, about half are dedicated to the last
two to three weeks of material and the other half cover material from the
entire quarter. The cumulative lab exam is somewhat different than the
lecture exams since it is a practicum and is written by Dr. Marchand, the
behind-the-scenes lab coordinator. During the exam, you will walk
between different lab stations and identify specimens and slides.
Although lab sessions themselves are casual, studying for the lab exam
should not be taken lightly. It is not only about identifying anatomical
structures but also about recalling function. The lab exam is probably
considered the most difficult exam in BN, so make sure that you can not
only recognize structures and histology but to also understand what
symptoms various anatomical lesions will cause.
The syllabus includes 99.9% of material that will show up on exams, and
you can safely skip most of the “small font” notes. It is also not
necessary to scrounge for old
exams for BN. In the syllabus,
there is a “Self Assessment
Exam” at the end of each
lecture, comprised of old exam
questions, though note that
some of the questions cover
small font material that will not
appear on exams. When you
are studying for any of these
exams, get cozy with the
Review Notes in the back of
the syllabus and think, “Where
is the lesion?” and you cannot
go wrong. For the lab exam,
revisit the slides and
specimens and your manual
near exam time because you
cannot and will not remember
everything you’ve looked at
earlier.
58
“Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others,
are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.” – Douglas Adams
Books: The syllabus for this class is comprehensive; no outside
neurology text is necessary to learn what you need to know. The
syllabus is also thought to be a useful guide for the wards (where you will
run into Dr. K. again), so try to keep it in order and hold on to it. Aside
from the syllabus, there is a lab manual you must buy for the anatomy
lab section. Also, at least one anatomy atlas is needed by each lab
group. The “required” atlas, Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy (black,
approx $65) is NOT a good choice as nearly all of the neuro plates have
been removed from this book. Also, many second years recommend
Grant’s atlas for anatomy second year, so you may not find Netter’s as
useful next year either. A better (and cheaper!) bet is Netter’s Concise
Neuroanatomy, or similar book with all neuro plates.
Endocrinology, Reproduction, & Metabolism (ERM)

Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: 4 (3 midterms, 1 cumulative final)
¾ Tips to success: Make charts and diagrams of hormones.
ERM is taught by Dr. Glass, along with many other professors. The
class is divided into 3 sections and you start off with Metabolism, which
includes topics such as diabetes, obesity, and thermogenesis.
Metabolism is followed by Endocrinology, where you will learn everything
about hormones, from the structure and production of hormones like
TSH to the pertinent diseases concerning these various hormones. The
quarter ends with Reproduction, which mainly deals with the female
aspects of reproduction more than the male. Even though not as much
class time is devoted to ERM as is to Neurology, it is a great idea to
learn it well this quarter. Keep in mind that ERM material is used a lot in
clinical medicine (there are many diabetic patients out there!).
The ERM syllabus is the only required text for the course and recent
revisions have made it quite decent. However, some lecturer’s notes are
more complete than others. If you have never taken an endocrinology
class, it may be helpful to buy one of the recommended texts for the
class so you have a reference to go to while studying. Cecil’s Textbook
of Medicine is a great resource and is also free online from
AccessMedicine (many of the professors authored the ERM related
chapters) as well as the Board Review Series: Physiology. The latter has
good tables and is concise in hitting the highlights. As with many of the
other courses, it may be helpful to work through the BRS book or other
board reviews while studying for exams because this will give you a feel
for how the USMLE tests endocrinology topics.
Lecture: Attendance is important because the professors (especially Dr.
Olefsky) sometimes give information that is not in the syllabus but will be
59
“My car and my adding machine understand nothing: they are not in that line of business.” – John
Searle
on the test. After a major overhaul of the syllabus in 2007, at least half of
the slides were cut from the handouts. However, many of these omitted
slides are still included in lectures and the professors (especially Dr.
Olefsky, diabetes) sometimes give information that is not in the syllabus,
but WILL be on the test. Also, many of the figures in the syllabus are
important and only the lecture, and not the syllabus notes, can help in
understanding them. Therefore, it is important to be prepared and ready
for lecture, or when in need, supplement what you’ve missed in lecture
with the class note-taker’s excellent notes.
Exams: There are 3 midterm exams and a comprehensive final exam.

The midterms and final are challenging because they test a fair amount
of detail, but are mainly case-based questions with high clinical
relevance. Even though it’s first year, you must have a firm grasp of the
diseases presented in lecture. Rather than blindly memorize the lab
values that correspond to a disease, understand the concepts and be
able to rationalize the lab values. Keep in mind that endocrinology is all
about negative feedbacks. The grading is H/P/F, and one only needs
67% to pass. But don’t take this class lightly as it is not trivial to Honor
because everyone tends to do well.
Small Group: Small group discussions will concern highly testable cases
relevant to the lectures. Attendance counts towards your grade. These
Problem Based Learning help you learn the material and contain material
covered by the exams. Even though the cases may seem trivial, try to
get as much out of the PBLs as possible.
Study Strategies: It is helpful to organize the material, for instance by

making charts or diagrams of pathways; it helps to organize all those
hormones! Most of the syllabus is written in lengthy paragraph format, so
it is a good idea to condense your knowledge, and make those charts as
you go. Cramming is difficult because of the volume of material. In fact,
just reading the lectures takes awhile! One strategy is to divide and
conquer: work with a group and have each person responsible for
making a study sheet on some block of information. If you prefer
studying alone, then you really need to stay on top of this course and
begin studying early. OESS also has great handouts which many
students found very helpful, as well as the review sessions.
60
“I tended to faint when I saw accident victims in the emergency ward, during surgery, or while
drawing blood.” – Michael Crichton
SBS-II: Human Growth & Development
Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: 1 final, 1 preschool visit paper
¾ Tips to success: It’s hard to fail; it’s not easy to honor.
SBS II is quite different from the SBS of the first quarter — it is much
more factually oriented. The topics covered in this quarter’s course are
favorites on the USMLE Step I board exam. Make sure you understand
the different developmental theories (Erickson, Piaget, etc). You may
want to think about getting the High-Yield Behavioral Science or the BRS
Social and Behavioral Sciences book to make sure you understand the
high-yield material of the course.
The course consists of lectures and small group discussions. Each week
of the course covers a different time period in human development. The
syllabus is sometimes very detailed and sometimes incomplete (i.e.
many bullet points) so take notes during lecture to catch the lecture’s
main points. There is an official text for the course; the readings are
concise, but the book is probably not worth your money as each week
your group members are supposed to summarize the readings. If you
must have one, buy a used copy from a second year, or split a new copy
with friends. A good study strategy is to cooperate with your small group
so that each person summarizes the reading material for a particular
week.
The final last year was not difficult. The class is graded H/P/F. In order
to get honors, attend the lectures, participate meaningfully in small
group, and do well on both the midterm and final. To get honors, you
must get in the top two standard deviations on both the midterm and the
final, as well as be recommended for honors by your group facilitator.
This is another course where comments from your group facilitator will
be sent to Student Affairs and may have summaries or quotes appear in
your MSPE.
ICM-II
Quick Facts:
¾ Number of exams: None
¾ Tips to success: Practice the physical exam skills on as many people as
possible to master them.
¾ Textbook “must-haves”: Guide to Physical Examination and History
Taking
Burns: “I suggest you leave immediately”

61
Homer: “Or what? You'll release the dogs or the bees? Or the dogs with bees in their mouths and
when they bark they shoot bees at you?”
ICM II is an important course that teaches you how to perform a basic
physical exam (sans rectal, breast, and genital exams) on your ICM
partner. Dr. Goldberg does an excellent job of quickly and effectively
teaching the skills to the class during the first half, and then you are to
practice the newly learned skills in the lab for the second half. Take this
opportunity to actually ask questions and really practice the different
techniques. The quality of the teaching varies depending on the
preceptor assigned, but all of them are nice, helpful, and happy to teach.
Don’t try to hurry through the portion of the exam for each session; do it
as thoroughly as you would for a patient. The opthalamoscope will give
people the most problems. Reading the applicable section of the Bates
book is helpful but not crucial. But it is a good idea to own a copy of
Bates as it is considered the standard reference for the physical exam.
Look into the pocket Bates, which is cheaper, easier to carry, and
handier for second-year ICM courses. Stress levels are low to non-
existent in ICM, so relax and enjoy. Outside of class, find practice
“patients” on friends or family members or real patients at the free clinic.
At the end of the course, there will be two “exams,” one which you
practice all of the physical exams on your partner, and the other is where
you will be given a patient and have to perform a specified exam on them
in front of a facilitator and two other students. Neither of these are
graded, so preparation is really more for your own benefit and learning.
SECOND YEAR
FALL MINI-BLOCK
The second-year mini-block starts at the beginning of second year. This
schedule allows the Hematology faculty to attend a conference in
December.
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Hit the ball over the fence and you can take your time going around the bases.
Hematology
Class time: The bulk of the learning occurs during the small group
sessions, in which students review brief hematology cases and slides
(e.g. of peripheral blood smears, bone marrow aspirates, or biopsies).
The majority of learning takes place in these sessions, so go to them!
Make sure you go over MedPics and/or other resources for Kodak
chromes of blood smears. The course has a required paperback
textbook, which is excellent. However, the course is taught in less than
three weeks, so the amount of reading may seem enormous. Therefore,
keep up with the reading and the cases, as there will most likely be a
midterm after only five days of class. Besides the midterm, there is also
a cumulative final exam. Know the class note taker’s notes and the small
group case information for the exams. The exam will require you to
identify images and pathological slides, so memorizing pathologic RBC
morphology and reviewing MedPics are very helpful.
Study resources: The syllabus is concise, but the format and depth for
each lecture are not uniform. This makes the syllabus not as user
friendly as a reference for the boards. Other options come recommended
by some former MSIIs instead of the assigned textbook: Blackwell’s
Underground Clinical Vignettes - Pathophysiology Vol. 2: USMLE Step 1
and BRS Pathology. The MedPics computer program, developed by
UCSD Med’s Learning Resources Center, has an invaluable Hematology
section, which has all the relevant slides for your viewing pleasure.
Answer the practice questions in the syllabus; they’re very high yield for
the exam.
The faculty is a great source of additional help and will inspire you to
think clinically, to synthesize the material, and to understand the disease
processes involved. Overall, the course is very clinically relevant,
interesting, and well taught. You will use this information repeatedly.
FALL MAJOR BLOCK

This is perhaps the most time-intensive yet rewarding quarter of the
preclinical curriculum. Anatomy will consume much of your time, but the
other courses require consistent work for success. You will be spending
31 hours a week in class with additional elective hours. Exceptionally
motivated students have even been known to do a preceptorship this
quarter.
Human Anatomy
General Remarks: Anatomy is considered one of the best courses of the
first two years. If you haven’t already bonded with classmates during the
first year, you will during this class. The class consists of laboratory
dissections and lectures on embryology and clinical aspects of anatomy.
You will pick your anatomy partners (4) at the end of first year and over
the beginning of summer. Choose wisely as you will be spending
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enormous amounts of time with them.
“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat” – Winston Churchill
What’s expected: Obviously students are expected to attend lecture and

labs, although not all do. However, the hands-on learning experience in
the laboratory is very difficult to simulate at home, unless you have a
cadaver sitting around. Do your time in the dissection lab; you will learn
the most from seeing the bodies for yourself. Look at other groups’
bodies as well since tests are done with other bodies, not just yours.
Pimp each other and try to learn as you work, rather than just working.
The professor and the MSIV TA will also be in lab when you need the
help.
The faculty submits a note to your file regarding your attendance,

attitude, and proficiency during lab sessions and frequent absence from
lab sessions will guarantee a negative evaluation (remember those
MSPEs it can show up in!). The lectures are given either by full-time
course faculty or by visiting surgeons. Those given by the full-time faculty
are usually on embryology or difficult aspects of anatomy seen in the lab.
The lectures given by surgeons generally emphasize the clinical
applications of anatomy and are very high-yield.
Testing is broken down into a laboratory exam and a lecture exam for
each section of the course: Thorax, Abdomen/Pelvic, Extremities, and
Head & Neck. The lab exam is simply identification of structures, and is
best prepared for by attending the labs and studying from the sheet of
structures tested in the past (frequently known as the “frequency list” –
look at the webportal from last year’s class). The lecture exam is thought
of as the most difficult part of the course. Simply put, everything is fair
game for the exam. Students are expected to have a textbook. Don’t
think you can get away without one in this class, even if you didn’t buy
one all of first year. Read it and memorize just about everything in it.
The required textbook, Baby Moore, is excellent (though a little dense
and long at times). Know the dissector inside out (especially the
diagrams and the important relationships). It will give you a virtual tour
on the relationship and organization between different organs, important
structures, and the procedures for lab dissection. The textbooks will
focus more on the clinical and biological aspect of the anatomical parts,
which is the emphasis for the lecture portion of the exam.
The most difficult aspect of this course is the management of time. The
existence of studying materials is overwhelming, so it is important to find
the methods, tools, and studying habit that will work for you in a
reasonable amount of time. Some people will read the books from cover
to cover, while some will focus on the “clinical pearls” (AKA “blue boxes”)
and diagram in the dissector and textbooks. There’s no single right way
to study for this course. Anatomy is basically a course of new
vocabularies, and your goal is to know what they do, and where they are.
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Other resources: Of course, using Netter’s or Grant’s atlases when

studying and in the lab is also very helpful. There is also the Color Atlas
of Anatomy by Rohen, a photographic atlas of human anatomy, which
“Anatomy is destiny.” – Sigmund Freud
some students find helpful. But don’t think the photographic atlas gets
you out of going to lab! The Gold Standard Anatomy software (or
equivalent), available in EdCom and finer stores, provides a high-yield
way of studying for the lab exam. In addition, the famous yellow book,
Review Questions for Gross Anatomy and Embryology, proves to be
very helpful in preparing for the lecture exam. This critical resource for
the lecture exam is now out of print, but available in PDF form from the
class ahead of you. For last-minute reviews use High Yield Anatomy,
although this book is really basic and only hits the high points. A few
students have found the Underground Clinical Vignettes: Anatomy to be
helpful for case-based learning. Frequency lists for each test can be
very helpful.
Practical Points: Obtain some “lab” copies of the Dissector and Netter’s
Atlas, so that cadaver juice doesn’t soak your snuggleable study copies
of these books. All students need to get their hands on some scrubs: ask
big sibs about inheriting theirs. To keep what you’re wearing nice, a few
students buy plastic disposable aprons: Smart and Final on Clairemont
Mesa Blvd. has these at a dime apiece. The 2008-2009 Course Chair,
Dr. Whitehead, recommends: “Practice exams are given before the real
exams, and these are important to take to see what the real thing will be
like. Students who want reassurance that they are on the right track in
their learning should check their depth of understanding with the TAs. If
you are having any difficulty, GET HELP from the TAs and the faculty —
the earlier in the course the better! All are approachable and will work
with you, even after hours, to help you succeed.”
Epidemiology/Biostatistics
Epidemiology has improved dramatically over the
last couple of years. It currently has small group sessions, many new
textbooks, and a syllabus. The lectures start off being very interesting
and somewhat useful, but the material becomes dry and mathematical
toward the end. The Epidemiology textbook is extremely helpful and
contains most of the information presented in lecture in a nice, easy-to-
read format. The problems at the end of each section are highly
recommended for checking your learning. Do them if you want to do well.
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The Evidence-Based Medicine book is completely useless; don’t waste
your money. The Biostatistics book is helpful and a good read. It makes
a dry topic very comprehensible and memorable but is definitely not
necessary.
“Be a good listener. Your ears will never get you in trouble.” – Frank Tyger
Histology
Histology is a great basis for and introduction to pathology. It goes well
beyond familiarizing the student with microscopic techniques to teach the
more important recognition of tissue and function. The entire faculty is
quite approachable, so use their encyclopedic knowledge to aid your
learning. Histology is best learned actively; ask questions from the
faculty whenever possible. It is especially helpful to pick their brains for
the features unique to particular slides. You should know key structures
that distinguish tissues and be able to tie together structure and function.
Gross identification of slides, by holding them up to the light, is key. On
a test, you should go for the gross ID before even looking at either the
microscope or the corresponding question. The test questions, all
multiple choice, are usually paired: identify a specimen, then recall the
mechanism of its function.
The MedPics computer software is invaluable to learning and reinforcing

the material; go over them several times. Pre-reading the syllabus and
going through MedPics the night before lecture/lab will save you a great
deal of time and get you the best results. The MedPics program, class
syllabus, and lab notebook are quite good, so know them by heart. Other
sources of material like fancy atlases of histology are really not needed.
The 2003-2004 Course Chair, Dr. Mizisin, notes: “I reviewed the section
on histology in the survival guide. As is, the text sums up the situation.
However, I expect most students do in fact buy or borrow a histology
atlas because of its usefulness. “
ICM-III
During fall and Winter Quarters, you
move to doing histories and physicals
on actual patients. It is very exciting
and a lot of work. During the fall
quarter, you perform focused
elements of the physical exam on
actual patients in groups of four-five
students under direct preceptor
supervision. These sessions are time
consuming, but are excellent at
building clinical skills and preparing
you for third year. Dr. Goldberg has an online guide to the history and
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physical exam, which is very helpful for asking the right questions and
writing the most comprehensive history. Believe me, the faculty want
these reports to be complete. In addition to doing the required write-ups,
“The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them.” – Stephen King
you must perform various physical exams on patients. Badger (nicely!)
your preceptors to show you how to do portions of the physical exam
(you’ll need to hone your technique). Use the time these quarters to
sharpen and polish your skills in doing a physical exam and taking short
histories.
SBS-III: health care systems

SBS III is given first quarter of second year. In this course, second years
learn about healthcare delivery in the U.S. and other countries.
Compared to the other SBS courses, this one has a lot of new
information, and the material is quite dry. If you are unfamiliar with the
U.S. Health Care system (e.g. didn’t learn it well when preparing for
medical school interviews), then this course may be a little bit difficult or
boring.
The required textbook (Understanding Health Care Policy) is highly

recommended for this course, especially for those who didn’t take a
course on this material in the past. It is short, succinct, and an excellent
reference. The course is taught in typical SBS style: lectures, small
groups, and presentations. Some lecturers are successful in making the
dry material interesting; others are not.
Every student has to guide a discussion session on one aspect of the

healthcare system for the small group. (Topics are given at the beginning
of the course.)
The syllabus is again mediocre but has a glossary in the middle, which is
extremely high-yield, both for the course and the rest of your life. As with
the other SBS courses, your enjoyment of the course is highly dependent
on the students in your group and how good your facilitator is. There
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seems to be more information in this quarter of SBS, so keep on top of
things for the final.
“Love is like playing the piano. First you must learn to play by the rules, then you must forget the
rules and play from your heart.” – Anonymous
This course is graded H/P/F. Honors usually go to students who took
classes on this topic as undergraduates. However, with some pre-
reading and lecture attendance, you may be able to show your facilitator
that you are knowledgeable about the material. Please note that your
facilitator has to recommend you for an honor, regardless how well you
do in the final. So it is important to participate in the small group session.
SECOND YEAR
WINTER QUARTER
Winter and spring quarters behave uncannily like one big semester.
Human Disease is the one course to which you’ll devote much of your
time. ICM continues about the same, but SBS has a psychopathological
flavor.
Human Disease
HD is composed of Microbiology, Pathology, and Medical Therapeutics,
and is lecture-based. The syllabus is excellent and totally
comprehensive. This is the quarter when you diagnose yourself with
everything from Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (especially you young
Doogie Howser types) to a zoonosis. Winter and spring quarters make
up the final grade, but you need to pass each class separately. The tests
are multiple choice and not cumulative (exception: micro). Try to balance
studying for the boards, keeping up with classes, and staying healthy!
Pathology
Pathology will be your comprehensive introduction to every single
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disease! This clinically relevant course is what you have been waiting for
since CBB. Overall, the pathophysiology and pathogenesis are fantastic,
but sometimes the actual pathology (mostly histological changes)
becomes tedious. Do not get behind and cram for this course. As a
physician, you MUST know this material in order to be competent.
“Happiness does not lie in happiness, but in the achievement of it.” – Fyodor Dostoevsky
The 2003-2004 Co-Course Chair, Dr. Baird, notes: Remember, if you
eventually want to be able to think like a doctor and even be a doctor,
you need to know what a doctor knows.
The lectures are usually very good, so lecture attendance is highly

recommended. The laboratory is very useful for keeping up, but Medpics
may be better for actually learning and remembering the material. The
textbook, Robbins Basic Pathology, is excellent, but definitely not
necessary. Many students found Rapid Review Pathology by Goljan to
be an invaluable study aid, both for the course and for Step 1. Goljan’s
audio lectures for path are also extremely useful; ask a classmate above
you for a copy of them. Many students find the Robbins Review of
Pathology question book by Klatt and Kumar to be a useful way to self-
test on the material. BRS Physiology is a good for emphasizing board-
relevant material while studying for pathology, but rest assured that the
course exams will require a greater depth of knowledge than presented
in review books.
The syllabus may be hit or miss, and so need to be complemented by

your lecture notes (or someone else’s). Small groups are where you will
go over the slides and cases and are good learning experiences.
An invaluable tip: it’s a good idea to review the physiology of each

system, concurrently as you go through the pathology, to help
understand the pathophysiology. Such review also helps with the
boards. Also, read along in the First Aid for the USMLE to help prepare
for exams and boards.
The first part of Pathology covers basic inflammation, fundamental to

your understanding of the pathology of every organ system. Learn
inflammation well and early, because it keeps coming up. Other
essential background for understanding cancer is tumor genesis and
oncology, but the molecular basis and defects are not really discussed
much in later sections. No doubt they will be on the boards, so you might
as well learn them. For the cancer drugs, know the general classes and
indications for each class, and focus on learning the ones that are
highlighted in more detail. The syllabus has everything you need to
know. Dr. Baird’s lectures are fantastic, though they deviate radically
from the syllabus, which for this segment is in outline form. Moreover, he
has set much of the material to music, which makes lecture entertaining
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yet high-yield. The Case Studies in Immunology book is useful for this
portion of the course, but you won’t use it much in later portions so you
may want to borrow it from an upper classman. The exam for this first
section is fair and requires understanding the mechanism of pathology
as well as pathological findings. Memorize those cytokines!
“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” – Carl Jung
The second block of Pathology is all about the heart and lungs. Get
ready for some serious memorization. Dr. Bloor is the main pathology
lecturer; Dr. “Bishop” Maisel reigns supreme over the heart lectures, and
the dynamic duo of Drs. West and Wagner take on most of the
pathophysiology of the lung. Although Dr. Bloor’s lectures can be a bit
dry, he meticulously lists all of the pathology in both the lectures and the
syllabus. Appreciate these lists while you have them, because other
pathologists are not as thorough. Unfortunately, you need to memorize
Bloor’s lists and spit them back out on the exam. Dr. Maisel’s lectures
are not to be missed, simply because of their entertainment value. He
brings food, plays movies and music, and dresses in costume. Who
knows what else he might do next year? With all of this fun taking up
precious class time, however, he covers the necessary material with
lightning speed. His syllabus is fantastic and covers everything that will
be on the test (and more). Be sure to study the arrhythmia lecture
because it is guaranteed to be on the exam, but otherwise his test
questions are very straightforward. Know those rhythm strips.
Remember how confusing the Respiratory test questions were in OP?
Well, not much has changed, so be prepared. During this section, there
are small group discussions, which are very useful in understanding the
pathophysiology of the diseases. Not only do these discussions help with
the course, but they solidify all of the basic physiology as well.
Just remember that pathology is what we need to know for the boards
and wards. Good luck on both!
Microbiology
Micro, like Pathology, is another course that spans both winter and
spring quarters, which together look suspiciously like a big fat semester.
Micro will take you through the world of the microorganism and
coincidentally the realm of the “micro-factoid.” It is important to begin this
course with the expectation that you will be expected to master an
overwhelming amount of detail. This is simply the nature of the subject
matter. Fortunately, Bridget Quinn (a former Micro tutor) has produced
an excellent, comprehensive syllabus that is now used as the course
syllabus. It contains every piece of information you need to do in as
palatable form websites of interest for each disease. Check out the links
to her old websites online for lab practice questions!!
The course begins with the study of bacteria, which along with an
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introduction to the mechanisms of antibiotic function and a quick section
on fungi, occupies all of winter quarter. Spring quarter begins with
parasitology and then moves to virology, but there are also many
lectures geared towards clinical syndromes and the finer points of the
antibiotics. Antibiotics are important to master early. Students in the
past have found it very difficult to cram it all in at the end.
“Support bacteria. They’re the only culture some people have.” – Anonymous
The cumulative nature of the course is limited not just to the antibiotics.
In general, the course progresses from lectures about specific organisms
(e.g. Neisseria meningitidis) to those about specific syndromes that can
be caused by any number of organisms (e.g. Meningitis). This can be
confusing for many students, so it is important early on in your studying
to keep track of what diseases a certain bug can cause. Conversely,
your ultimate goal should be rattling off a differential diagnosis of
organisms when presented with a clinical syndrome. Also, although the
clinical aspects of disease are not emphasized in the course, it will
definitely serve you well on the boards to learn each bug’s clinical
presentation. Keep your Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple
handy; this book also has excellent framework and mnemonics.
The lab component of the Microbiology course is meant to complement

the learning that goes on in the lecture component. The lab exams do
require you to apply the knowledge learned in lecture. Don’t expect a
simple “see it and identify it” format. Depending on their level of
preparation, students can either enjoy or fear the lab exams. In either
case, they are not your typical medical school exams. Stations are set up
with accompanying clinical scenarios. The identifications are
accompanied by matching questions that cover written-exam-level detail,
and relatively easier (and fewer) conceptual multiple-choice exams.
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In summary, the best advice for Micro is to figure out how you can best
learn and memorize the material, then do that early. Whether you prefer
lecture notes, readings, lectures, tutorial reviews, making your own
“organism charts,” or actually seeing the bugs in lab, figure out how
you’re going to learn the details, and then do not get behind. Many
students have found that making charts is a good way to keep a running
log of all the organisms. In addition, it is extremely useful to spend some
“One sometimes finds what one is not looking for.” – Alexander Fleming
time figuring out what characteristics are shared among organisms.
Many exam questions will require you to differentiate whether a given
characteristic is present in one organism, another, both, or neither. If
you don’t anticipate these questions, they can drive you crazy! You are
expected to know the details so you inevitably must spend time
memorizing. The biggest mistake that students make for the first exam is
thinking, “That couldn’t be important.” It might not be important for life,
but it will be on the exam (and step I). You must know every single fact
that is in Bridget’s notes if you want to perform well on the exams. Sound
like a lot of work? The truth: it is. Work hard, stay on top of the material,
and you’ll make it!
Although this year’s chair is Dr. David Wyles, here’s what the 2001-2002
Microbiology Course Chair, Dr. Oxman, responded: Medical Microbiology
is a challenge. The number of infectious agents causing human diseases
is large and growing, and travel by people, animals and vectors brings
exotic diseases to our doorstep. Today’s “micofactoid” is likely to be the
key to tomorrow’s epidemic. Who would have thought that a doctor in
New York would need to know anything about West Nile virus? The
Micro course is cumulative – what counts is your ultimate understanding
of the subject - your ability to diagnose, treat and prevent infectious
diseases. The laboratory exercises demonstrate medically relevant
properties of important organisms, and participation is mandatory. In the
lectures, faculty with a working knowledge of their subject do their best to
distill the material for you – to distinguish fact from “factoid.” Attending
the lectures is really worth the time and effort.
Medical Therapeutics
Medical Therapeutics consists of disease-focused pharmacology
interspersed throughout the Pathology course. Dr. Paul Insel gives most
of the lectures. The Medical Therapeutics material is similar in spirit to
Pathology’s, and is tested at the same time. Study for it as you would
study for Path.
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“Don't become a mere recorder of facts, but try to penetrate the mystery of their origin.” – Ivan
Pavlov
SBS-IV: Psychopathology
SBS IV is given winter quarter of second year. It is one of the best and
most interesting ones offered by UCSD. The lectures for this course are
all exceptional and highly recommended. They include video clips of
patient interviews that illustrate the symptoms of psychopathological
diseases. Hence, the lectures are very interesting and help clarify some
of the confusing aspects of psychopathology. Some of the video clips
also may appear on the exam. This course also provides a good review
of some of the psychoactive drugs you learned about in POP first year.
In small groups, students have an opportunity to interview psychiatric

patients and to perform a mental status exam. Every student is
responsible for one interview with a patient. Interviews usually last 30-45
minutes and are valuable learning experiences. Preparing for them does
not take a very long time. The course requires a write-up for the first five
interviews. These usually take a long time to prepare and end up being
rather lengthy. You can type your write-up directly onto the website to
submit; just make sure your spelling and grammar are correct. Make
sure you do a good job. If your facilitator thinks that you’re slacking, you
may be required to write another one. Don’t buy a DSM-IV unless you
are seriously considering going into psychiatry! There is a link to it free
online from the course website.
The reviews of the textbook for SBS-IV are quite lukewarm: some people
liked it, others didn’t. The book is a “required text” for third-year clerkship
so you may want to invest in it early if you have extra cash. You may
want to invest in the BRS Behavioral. You may even want to read them
concurrently for the course. The Psychiatry: a Current Clinical Strategies
medical book by Hahn, Reist, and Albers (green pocket book) was said
to be helpful by some students, and the behavioral science and
psychiatry segments of First Aid may help you learn the information while
studying for Step 1 concurrently.
Preparing for the final exam is rather straightforward. The best way to
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prepare is to read the class notes and, more importantly, to do the
practice test questions on the course’s website. These questions are
extremely high-yield, and although only a few repeat, the concepts are
tested over and over again. There are a lot of questions on the website
so make sure you have time to go over all of them before the exam. On
the exam there are usually 10 questions on video clips of patient
interviews, most of which are NOT previously shown in lecture. They
tend to be the hardest questions on the exam. The best way to prepare
for them is to read the lecture notes or, even better, attend lecture.
“To prevent disease, you may have to change how you live.” – Brian Carter
Course chair Dr. Lohr is a very approachable, great teacher. He is very
open to ideas that will help enhance his course. Grading for this course
is H/P/F. The best way to get honors is
to be very familiar with the DSM-IV
criteria for whatever disease the course
discusses each week and to be able to
come up with, and distinguish between,
differential diagnoses of patients
interviewed each week. Of course, do
a good job on your write-ups and have
a good patient interview. Also, you need
to do well on the final exam. As with
other SBS courses, comments from
evaluators go to your file and may
appear in your MSPE.
ICM-IV
This quarter, you begin to do complete histories and physicals all by
yourself. While intimidating at first, most students find that that their
clinical skills and confidence skyrocket during this experience. Get your
preceptor to observe you doing physical exams. If you know a physician
you’d like to work with have him or her call the ICM coordinator to
request you and your partner.
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SECOND YEAR
SPRING QUARTER
Keep on truckin’! You’re almost there! Recently, the spring quarter has
been slightly consolidated (mainly by eliminating days off) to give
students two extra weeks to study for the boards after the conclusion of
the quarter. This quarter adds a course in Laboratory Medicine.
“The truth is not for all men, but only for those who seek it.” – Ayn Rand
Human Disease
HD continues from winter quarter: more Pathology, Microbiology, and
Medical Therapeutics!
Microbiology
Micro continues from winter quarter. Spring begins with parasitology and
then moves to virology, but there also are many lectures geared towards
clinical syndromes and the finer points of the antibiotics. The big
challenge here is to integrate everything, as the final examination is
cumulative across winter and spring quarters. Otherwise, the approach
remains the same as in the winter quarter.
Pathology
(Pathology continues from winter quarter) Renal and GI Pathology are
the topics of the third block of the Pathology course. If you found renal
physiology difficult, the renal pathophysiology will probably prove more
elusive as well. The big topics are Na+ and K+ disturbances, as well as
acid-base status. Diseases and tumors of the kidney are not as heavily
emphasized, but they are also much more students straightforward.
The only word of advice: go over the physiology and pathophysiology of

electrolytes again and again until they become intuitive. The exam
questions tend to be “thinking questions” using basic principles to
understand clinical vignettes. The GI section is comparatively easy and
straightforward, just as in OP. During the exam, do the GI section first to
give you a little confidence and a time cushion for the renal section.
Endocrine and Reproductive Pathology is in the middle. The syllabus for

this section was a hit and miss. Lecturers in this section are often good,
and some of the most important topics (i.e. diabetes) are not to be
missed. Unfortunately, many students make the enormous mistake of
focusing on other courses (Micro) and other exams (the boards) during
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this section of Pathology. DO NOT DO THIS! For some inexplicable
reason the Endocrine and Reproductive Pathology is highly represented
on the boards. It also tends to be one of the weaknesses of UCSD
medical students. The exam questions relating to this section are very
straightforward, and tend to stress clinical presentation of diseases
rather than nitty-gritty details.
Neural Pathology makes up the last segment of the Pathology course.

Dr. Hansen teaches neuropathology and is an amazing teacher. His
lectures are a riot! Although his syllabus is a skeletal outline of major
topics, if you attend the lectures he will tell you what is important to
know, both for his exam and for the boards. Each lecture reviews
material from previous lectures; Hansen is very good at giving an active-
learning style lecture. Congratulations, Hansen, on having the MS-II
class select you for the Kaiser Teaching Award eight times!
“One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste.” – Johann Goethe
The 2003-2004 HD Course Chair, Dr. Miyai, responds: It is true that
renal section has more conceptually challenging subjects such as acid-
base status and electrolytes. However, students should not focus on
Renal at the expense of GI, because the exam results clearly reveal that
many fail to understand simple basic concepts in GI diseases, which
account for 10% of dollars spent on health care nationally.
Laboratory Medicine
Lab Medicine is perhaps one of the most clinically useful classes for third
year when you leave Garren auditorium to hit the wards. This class
assimilates all the useful lab tests that you will order — next year — in
order to diagnose and monitor various diseases. LM is roughly organized
by organ system. It parallels the pathology course (that you are taking
concurrently) well, and its syllabus (free of charge!) is very
straightforward.
All that you need to do well in the class is in the syllabus. A “pass” grade
is based on accruing a certain number of points out of the total, and the
honors grade is given to the shining stars that score greater than 92%.
This class can easily be honored, so most people who wait until the night
before the test to study for this class end up kicking themselves for not
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keeping up and trying to do well. Heed this warning because many of
you will pour your energy into pathology and microbiology and neglect
this 3-hour-perweek class, and as a result every year there are a few
people who fail the course and have to postpone their 3rd year rotations
to retake the course.
LM’s midterm and final tests consist of written and practical parts. The
practical component involves looking at pictures of test results or clinical
vignettes and interpreting the findings. You will have to memorize the
normal lab values for the most common labs. You do need to know
formulas and how to use them. These tests are detail-oriented so don’t
settle for just knowing the concepts. Otherwise, this class is enjoyable,
and every MS-III will tell you to pay attention to this class because what
you didn’t learn comes back to haunt you during third year!
“While you are experimenting, do not remain content with the surface of things.” – Ivan Pavlov
ICM-V
ICM-V will give you subspecialty lectures and preceptorships in
pediatrics, dermatology, and reproductive medicine, but requires no
more H&P writing.
The OSCE (Observed Structured Clinical Exam) culminates the ICM

course. The exam is perhaps the best one-on-one learning experience in
the first two years of medical school. Preparing for this exam can be
tricky. The best way to prepare is to find the syllabus for third-quarter,
first-year ICM and make sure you know how to do everything in it. There
are 6 stations that will test focused parts (generally organ systems) of
your history and physical exam skills in 10-15 minutes each. Don’t skip
any part of your organ system exam at any station unless specifically told
to do so. A physician at each station will observe you and will go over
what you could improve on after you finish your exam. Remember that
you are evaluated on your interaction with the simulated patient as well
as your technical skills. Practice with your ICM partner beforehand!
USMLE Step I
You’ll take this mother of all exams during June after your second year.
Simply put, it covers everything you learned during the first two years of
medical school. Start studying early! Buy First Aid for the USMLE Step I
as soon as possible and learn along the way.
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Tips for the Boards
Scheduling: Picking your test date is the first step in your boards
preparation. Some students prefer to take it early and have 2 weeks of
vacation while others will put it off to the bitter end. Whatever you do,
keep in mind that the earlier you call to schedule your date, the more
likely it is you will get the date you want. If you later decide you want to
change your date, you should call ASAP to change it because as the test
approaches all the testing slots will fill and you will not be able to move
your date earlier or later. A fee will be applied if you change the date too
close to your scheduled test date.
Studying: In general, the test is fairly clinically oriented. Many students

also swear by Qbank by Kaplan, or USMLE World but beware that those
questions are fairly challenging and if you can get up to 65-70% correct
you are doing a great job. These are offered as monthly subscriptions,
“The surest test of discipline is its absence.” – Clara Barton
and are not only helpful for the questions, but also the rational they
provided when reviewing the answers.
The most highly recommended review book for Step1 is (you guessed it)
First Aid (FA) for the USMLE Step1. While this book does not have
everything that you need to know, it is extremely high-yield, and it is
definitely worth your time to know every syllable of First Aid. Also try the
NBME site and purchase a 200-question assessment, this is very high
yield.
Other highly recommended books include Rapid Review Pathology by

Goljan & Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple (which you probably will
already be using for HD course), as well as BRS Physiology and BRS
Behavioral Science. Rapid Review Biochem by Goljan is also an
excellent book if you need brushing up on biochem.
More Words of Wisdom:

¾ Think of the studying process for this test as a way to consolidate all
the information you learned in the past 2 years. This is actually a
great opportunity to make sense of those topics that before were a
bit hazy and connect the dots between some of the information that
was learned in a disconnected fashion. Remember, knowing this
information will help you become a better doctor, and will help you
take better care of your future patients. It may not be fun at all, but
try and think about the process in a positive light.
¾ Don’t be compelled to compile and summarize all your class notes
because First Aid is really good on focusing on what’s important, but
lacks in explanation. Many people use their First Aid book to take
notes in when they come across auxiliary information that is not in
First Aid, then it will serve as your all around Step 1 resource book.
¾ Do use Board Review Series: Behavioral Science, and Physiology.
¾ Make note cards of the Rapid Review in FA for the toxicology
antidotes and key side effects (which are in the pharm section).
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Memorize them early so that when you study the diseases you will
already know the associations.
¾ Make pharm note cards, new ones with the drugs in FA.
For micro, Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple is a great
book, but so are Bridget’s notes.
¾ Post-finals will be the time when you’re going to do your major
studying. Have fun the night after your last final and then on the
following day get organized: check out the test site, buy groceries for
the rest of the month.
¾ Make a study schedule with your test date set in stone. Most people
need 10 to 20 days to study. You have to find a balance between
having more time to be thorough, forgetting what you’ve learned, and
also getting burned out. Be specific in your schedule (time, study
subject, etc) and stick to it. Be regimented such that you are hitting
the library (or wherever you study best) and coming home at the
“Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.” – Terry Goodkind

same time every day. Sticking to a schedule will keep you on track.
Make sure you schedule time for exercise and other things you might
have to do.
¾ Study with a friend or even someone you are not great friends with to
help you keep on track, learn from each other, be able to talk through
concepts, and quiz each other.
¾ You have one month between 2nd and 3rd year, consider taking a
short vacation. It may be the last time you can before September
after your first and second rotation.
¾ Qbank or USMLE World costs 100-450 dollars for, depending on
how many months you paid for access. It’s just a databank of
questions, but it’s really necessary to get. Getting Qbank in January
can be helpful because the cardiovascular and respiratory questions
are good review for pathology exams, but most people don’t really
start studying in earnest until school is out.
¾ Studying a little during spring break can get you in the zone and
familiarize yourself with the material early on.
When Test Day Draws Near: A few days before your exam you should
drive to the site so that you know exactly where you are going the day of
your exam. Doing a test run allows you to scope out the parking
situation, decide whether you should bring or buy lunch, depending on
what is around, and you’ll know about how long it will take you to drive
there. At the site they will provide you with very small lockers to place
your personal belongings in, so leave your backpack in the car. They
only allow you to bring your eyeglasses and a jacket (no hats) into the
testing room. At some of the sites they also provide earplugs, but you
can use your own.
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Day of the Test: Take a deep breath.

Remember that this is one small hurdle on
your way to becoming a physician. Once
you get to the testing center they will check
you in, explain the rules of the game and
let you get to it. You are designated 45
minutes of break time and you may take a
break after each section if you want. If you
finish a section early, that time will be
added to your break time. The best feature
of the exam is being able to mark
questions that you want to come back to
after you have finished the exam. There
will be color pathology/histology photos on
the exam that can sometimes be too small
or won’t show enough detail to be really
helpful, so don’t go overboard looking at
Medpics because you should be able to figure out the answer from the
textual information provided in the question.
“Hope is a good thing - maybe the best thing, and no good thing ever dies.” – Stephen King
THIRD YEAR
The third year of medical school is entirely different from the first two
years. Besides being the first clinical year in medical school, it is
probably the most crucial, because residency programs will review your
third-year faculty evaluations closely.
Transition to the Wards

Things you’ll need:
1. Pager
It is recommended that you buy your pager about a month before your
rotations will begin because all future paperwork you fill out will ask for
your pager number. If you are unfamiliar with how to operate a pager,
then you should practice using it (checking pages, voicemail, setting it to
vibrate, etc.) a few days before your rotation begins. When a resident or
intern pages you they may put “name, x##### p####” which corresponds
to their name, the extension of the phone they are nearest, and their
pager number. ALWAYS USE THIS FORMAT! It is important to facilitate
quick and easy communication in the hospital. When you meet your
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team make sure you get each person’s pager number and that they write
down yours as well. Most of them will begin with (619)-290-####. The
OSA often organizes a discount with American Messaging for the
students when it’s time to make the purchase, so check with them before
you buy your pager. You can page someone by computer using
myairmail.com, or if on hospital computers webpaging.ucsd.edu is the
way to go because they have a directory as well. Unfortunately, at this
time cell phones will not work as a substitute for a pager as they do not
get uniform reception in the hospital. However, you can use your phone
to text-page a pager number if you want. Two-way text pagers are
convenient because you can reply to the pages received without using
the computer to type a response, but are about $10/mo more and not
necessary.
Reach for the moon- even if you miss you’ll be among the stars.
2. Equipment
Most likely you will not need to buy any additional medical equipment,
you will simply need to decide what to bring each day. At the minimum,
most students carry with them a stethoscope, tuning fork, penlight and
reflex hammer. Additional items will vary depending on what rotation you
are on.
3. Pocket Guides
There is a sea of pocket guides to choose from for each rotation. In
order not to go bankrupt buying all of them it is a good idea to find a few
friends and trade around your guides when you switch rotations.
4. Professional Attire
If you went to school everyday in jeans and a t-shirt, then it might be a
good idea to start shopping for some professional clothes before
rotations begin. As a general rule, women should not wear any blouse
that is too low-cut or shows your midriff. Skirt lengths vary, but it is a
good idea to err on the conservative side. For men it would be wise to
invest in a few pairs of slacks, button down shirts, and ties. A good rule
of thumb for both sexes is to always be the “best dressed” person on
your team.
Tips:
1. Before your third year starts, read the pocketbook How to be a Truly
Excellent Junior Medical Student by Robert J. Lederman. This book is
full of excellent advice, and it has many abbreviations that will commonly
be used on the wards. Another great book is First Aid for the Wards,
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which has a great primer for before every clerkship you will be on.
2. Follow your patient to important studies. Med student Jane Doe had
the bright idea of following her patient (that was having lower right
quadrant abdominal pain to her CT scan) and was amazed to find that
the radiologist was more than willing to answer questions and explain
what findings made the diagnosis of appendicitis more likely in this
patient. Moral of the story...if you have time, then go watch studies that
are done on your patient...you can learn a lot.
3. Learning New Abbreviations

The bane of your existence as a medical student will be leaning all the
abbreviations used in medical notes. Start keeping a list of new
abbreviations you learn. If your super eager, there are abbreviation
books in the bookstore in the dictionary section.
Never put off until tomorrow anything you can get someone else to do for you today.
4. Definitely Buy a Maxwell Guide
Use the blank pages in your Maxwell Guide to record door codes and
computer passwords (you will have several by the end of third year and
remembering them all is impossible!)
5. Definitely download ePocrates. We get a year free from school!
6. Definitely Buy a Pocket Medicine

This is a great recourse for diagnostics, guidelines, and treatment for just
about every disease in an EBM format (with citations) that is small and
convenient to carry.
Clerkships
The third year begins at the end of June. You will have taken the USMLE
step 1 at the end of your second year. Late in winter quarter, a
computerized scheduling process decides who gets which clerkships
when, based on your preferences (likely you will get one of your
preference but not all – this will be a theme, so don’t get frustrated – in
the end it doesn’t matter whatsoever). If you don’t get what you want, it is
possible to swap with someone else. In any case, the required clinical
clerkships are Surgery (two months), elective (one month), Pediatrics
(two months), Neurology (one month), Reproductive Medicine (aka
OB/Gyn) (six weeks), Psychiatry (six weeks), Internal Medicine (three
months), and Primary Care (throughout the year). Peds (P) and Neuro
(N) are combined into one quarter as N-P-P, P-N-P, or P-P-N. Psych (P)
and Repro Med (Rm) are combined in one quarter as Rm-P or P-Rm.
The clerkship in Primary Care operates throughout the entire year, one
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afternoon every week you will go to a clinic, with monthly breaks from
clinic for monthly seminars on campus.
Tips:
1. Preparing for the CPA and CPX exams. As you have probably heard
these are exams where you interact with “standardized patients” and
have 15-20 minutes to take a history, perform a FOCUSED physical
exam, and discuss your findings with the patient. These patients will
have common problems (things discussed in your primary care
seminars) and the point is NOT to come up with the diagnosis, but to
form a good differential diagnosis and communicate EFFECTIVELY with
the patient. The best way to prepare for this exam is to get together with
a friend and practice- one of you plays “doctor” the other plays the
patient. The patient should think of a common primary care ailment (i.e.
migraine headache, chest pain, shoulder pain, etc) and the “doctor”
should take a history, perform a focused physical exam and explain the
findings to the patient.
“The greatest mistake in the treatment of diseases is that there are physicians for the body and
physicians for the soul, although the two cannot be separated.” - Plato
A good book that has many practice cases is: Mastering the Objective
Structured Clinical Examination and the Clinical Skills Assessment by Jo-
Ann Reteguiz. The CPX exam is a requirement for graduation and is a
harder version of the USMLE Step 2 CS (clinical skills), which is
supposed to ensure that you will be a competent and compassionate
physician. A few people fail this test every year (you just have to take a
re-take exam—no big deal), but truly if you have been doing fine on the
wards and primary care clinic, you will do great.
2. Scheduling 3rd year Rotations

It may be helpful (though not absolutely necessary) to know what
specialty of medicine you will likely enter before the scheduling process.
If you are interested in, say, Surgery, when should you do it? First? Last?
There are many philosophies. The classic advice is the first quarter is for
“getting your feet wet” on the wards. The second and third quarters are
peak performance times. The fourth quarter is a “burnout” period for
most people. So you think: “If I want to do Surgery, I should do it second
or third. On the other hand, everyone else who wants to do Surgery will
have the same idea, so maybe doing it first quarter would be better, or
maybe….” In fact, there is no right answer. Do it when you think you will
do your best. Do not worry about what 130 other students are planning,
unless you want to drive yourself nuts.
Please realize that one of the most frustrating things to ALL medical
students is the scheduling of our rotations. You often will not know when
your days off are or any other details until the first day of your clerkship,
which makes planning for weddings or other important events VERY
83
difficult. Let the clerkship coordinators know early if you have any must
attend events. Note that you will be asked to be flexible with your
schedule, but other people will be demanding of your time in an inflexible
manner, which may be hard to reconcile at times.
Hospitals
You will be spending most of your time on the wards in one of several
UCSD teaching hospitals. These include the UCSD Medical Centers
(Thornton and Hillcrest – AKA The U), Veterans Administration Medical
Center, Balboa Naval Hospital, Scripps Mercy, and Children’s Hospital.
Different clerkships vary widely in terms of expectations, but your plans
should include being “on-call” with the intern or resident every fifth (q5)
night. Being on-call will usually involve sleeping over in the hospital on
these nights. Some people find it a nice change to move to Hillcrest
between 2nd and 3rd years to be closer to 4/6 of the hospitals above, with
better night life, restaurants, and cheaper housing.
“It is a mathematical fact that fifty percent of all doctors graduate in the bottom half of their class.”
Pimping
The third year can sometimes be difficult in that you are just learning
your way around the hospital, but you will also be susceptible to
“information pimping.” That means anyone (doctors, nurses, janitors) can
ask you anything about everything and expect an answer. That’s when
all that seemingly “irrelevant” memorizing you did during your first two
years of medical school comes in handy. Just remember that you are still
new at being a clinician: you will make mistakes, but you will learn from
them. Malignant pimping can happen and it is NOT appropriate, this is
when you are asked questions with the purpose of debasing,
embarrassing, or belittling you publicly. If this happens to you, TALK TO
ONE OF THE DEANS
OR THE CLERKSHIP
DIRECTOR! More often
you will get questions
that challenge you to
think through the
answers and come learn
by a somewhat altered
Socratic method.
Taxi Policy
After a “call night”, if you
feel too tired to drive
home, you may call a
taxi. Turn in the receipt
to the Student Affairs
84
Office and you will be reimbursed.
Third Year Responsibilities

The third year brings with it many new responsibilities as a medical
student. The following is a taste and insight into these responsibilities:
The Outpatient Experience

If you have done some Free Clinic work, then your transition to
Outpatient work will be quite easy. All clerkships have some aspect of
outpatient medicine to them.
Daily Routine: Basically, an outpatient routine consists of clinic work in

an office setting. There are patients to be seen at a scheduled basis and
they generally have appointment times. The frequency at which they are
scheduled varies between 10 minutes to 30 minutes. Your role in the
If you don’t know where you are going you may miss it when you get there.
outpatient setting is to pick up patients as they come into the office and
see them prior to an attending or resident seeing them. When a new
patient comes in, you grab the chart before they are seen and do a quick
perusal of the chart to see what medical problems the patients has and
what type of stuff was taken care of on the last visit. You then enter the
room and proceed with the patient encounter. You document all of your
tasks and aspects of the encounter on the clinic note or a separate
paper, depending on what your preceptor prefers.
After seeing the patient on your own, doing a focused physical and
making a mental plan, you should present your case prior to doing any
documentation to the attending. The attending may wish to see the
patient with you and the attending may have some questions for you. If
the attending asks you about a question that should have been asked,
do not lie. After the attending has made any adjustments to your plan,
you go back in and see the patient and execute that plan. You then go
and see the next patient. All documentation should be reserved until the
end of the clinic. Generally, outpatient clinics are Mon. – Fri. with all
weekends off.
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The Inpatient Experience
The inpatient experience is much different than anything you may be
familiar with. You generally work 6-7 days a week and will take call every
4-6 days. You will start your day anywhere between 4-8am and will end
anywhere between 4-10pm.
Pre-Rounding: This is where you arrive at the hospital and check on all
of your patients before the attending and resident have had a chance to
check on them (usually 6am). Your duties at this time include checking
on how the patient feels, doing a quick physical exam, checking any
medicines, lines, or drains that have been hooked up, asking the nurse
how everything went last night, and then looking up any new labs and
radiology reports. You prepare this into an eventual note.
Resident Rounds: This is where all medical students, sub-interns, and

interns will present their patient to the resident with any new changes
that have occurred and any new recommendations that you have made.
The resident may agree or choose to adjust your plan. The resident may
give a teaching point during this time.
Attending Rounds: The whole team rounds yet again with the attending
and the case is presented exactly the same way (usually around 10-
11am). This is where you can make most of your impact on the
attending. The attending will usually give some lecture at the end.
Call: Call can be overnight or not (usually ending at 10pm or when you
finish up with your last patient. You are generally allowed to go home
early the next day (12:00p) but this does not apply to medical students all
of the time. Generally, as the individual on call for the service, you have
3 responsibilities:
Kindness is a hard thing to give away. It keeps coming back to the giver.
1. Help manage all of the floor patients in the off-hours if there is no
“night-float”
2. Consult on or Admit patients from the ER
3. Take consults from other services.
Admissions: During a call night, the ER will call your resident with an
admission. The admission will be briefly verbalized to the admitting
resident. The resident will then assign that admission to an intern and
medical student. Your job basically is to go downstairs to the ER and do
a complete history and physical. You may wish to go check on the ER
note to see what history and physical findings they had elicited and then
check on any orders that were made to see what the patient has already
had done. There are probably already labs and radiology studies done
as well. Once this is all done and you have a chance, you should present
your case to the intern and then help the intern write some admission
orders. Your patient will then be upstairs for your round the next morning.
Operating Room Etiquette

The OR is a very different place and they can be quite finicky about what
you should and should not be doing. At the end of the second year, you
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will receive a detailed seminar about how to “scrub” for cases. Here are
several pointers about what you should try and do to not piss anyone off.
1. Turn your cell phone off, put your pager to vibrate (you don’t want
these to go off during a surgery while you are scrubbed and sterile).
2. Read about the type of case you are scrubbed in on.
3. Never let your hands go below the plane of the operating field.
4. Don’t touch your face/mask/hair.
5. Never grab anything off the Mayo stand unless the scrub nurse or
attending tells you to.
6. It’s great to be assertive when there is a receptive attending staffing
the case. When the attending is a grouch, assertiveness will just get
you kicked out of the OR.
7. You will make a huge impression on the residents if, on the first
couple cases you scrub in on, you learn how to prep patients for
surgery and clean up afterwards. Prepping patients is something that
the residents hate and if you do it, you will make them very happy.
Evaluations During Clinical Years

Unlike the first two years of medical school, the evaluation processes in
the MS-III/IV years are based more on narrative evaluation and hard
work rather than how well you do on a written test. Therefore, your
evaluation is based on how hard you work and how you present yourself,
in addition to what you know. Generally, most clerkships will evaluate
you based on some or all of the following components.
“A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway.” – Fr. Jerome Cummings
1. Narrative Evaluation:
a. Work Hard: Attendings and residents look highly upon the
medical student that takes the initiative to look up all of the data on their
patient, run errands, pick up new patients, and anything that isn’t really
fun.
b. Know Your Patient: Attendings that expect you to know every
detail on your patient are being silly. Knowing the trends in specific
values, important physical findings, historical tidbits, and previous
treatments are important.
c. Attitude is Everything: Talk to some MS-IV’s about this. NO
ONE wants to work with a jerk.
d. Show Interest: This doesn’t mean, “Ask questions to the
attending that you already know the answer to so that you look good
when the attending asks something about that to you.” Attendings and
residents know that game. This means genuinely trying to learn as much
as you can, doing procedures when offered, and staying to help with
something when asked.
e. Presentations are Important: Attending rounds and
presentations of patients are some of the only times that you have
contact with them. Therefore, it is important to have everything
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together and available so that you can deliver it in a concise and
logical format.
2. Written Paper: Some clerkships (mainly psych) may have you write a
paper about a specific topic in that branch of medicine.
3. Oral Presentation: Either using Powerpoint or a 1-page handout with
takehome points these are sometimes subjectively integrated into your
evaluation.
4. Oral Exam: During the Surgery clerkship, you will have an oral exam
given by three faculty about different aspects of surgery.
5. NBME “Shelf” Exam: A 100 question, multiple choice exam on the
subject in that clerkship. This material is usually found in multiple review
books that are fairly well known. Various examples include: First Aid,
Blueprints, PreTest, Case Files, etc. Generally a 60%+ is passing and a
80-85%+ score will put you in the range for “Honors”. It is a combination
of all of the aforementioned factors that you are evaluated on. A great
written exam will not make up for poor clinical performance and vice
versa. A listing of each clerkship and the specific requirements is listed
on the webportal website under the MS-III tab.
Sub-I’s & Away Rotations

A Sub-Internship (Sub-I) is often done early on in the 4th year within the
department of the specialty you are planning on going into. This is the
month you work your butt off, demonstrate your superior knowledge, and
dazzle your attendings. You will be given more responsibility than in
your 3rd year and act essentially as an intern (but really a sub-intern
because you cannot sign your own notes or meds). In the end you will
ask for a stellar letter of recommendation for residency applications and
will get one for all the hard work and energy you showed.
“If you hear hoof beats, look for horses, not zebras.”
An away rotation is a rotation scheduled in or related to a specific

specialty and executed at an institution away from the home school. This
facility is generally at one where the applicant has a vested interest in
completing their residency, a location they would like to visit or work, or
has prestigious faculty from whom the student is seeking to obtain a
letter. Whether one should do an away rotation or not is really up to the
applicant themselves. There are many schools of thought on this so here
are PROS and CONS of doing so.
PROS:
1. Faculty will know your face get to know you as a person.
2. You can perform very well and add strength to your application.
3. You can effectively evaluate the program. An interview is only an
incomplete look at a program.
4. You get to know the residents better, and vice versa.
5. You may find out you love the program, or conversely, hate it.
CONS:
1. You already may have a stellar application and there is a chance
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that your performance didn’t live up to your application.
2. The 4th year is the last time that you are going to be able to do many
aspects of medicine. Why do 5 sub-internships in Internal Medicine when
you can try radiology, emergency medicine, anesthesia, etc.
3. It costs some $$$$$ and takes a lot of time to set these up.
If you decide to set up an away rotation, you should try and do so

sometime during the Winter or Spring of your 3rd year. You can do it
during the summer of your 4th year, but the spots tend to fill up during
the precious months before interview season. You should try and contact
that program via the school’s website. If you go to FREIDA <ama-
assn.org/ama/pub/category/2997.html> and look up a specific residency
program, they will have a link to that program’s website and on that
website will be a section for medical student clerkships. Provided in that
space is contact information, or a list of required items to participate in
the clerkship.
Generally, programs will want some variation of the following:

1. Completed application form, along with a photo.
2. Anywhere between $50 and $150 application fee.
3. Letter of good standing from the UCSD Office of Student Affairs.
4. Copy of board scores and a copy of transcript.
5. Evidence of immunizations or titers, TB status, and Mask fitting.
UCSD will also want several items in order to effectively credit you:
1. Written evaluation from the staff at the end of the clerkship.
2. Faculty sponsor and course equivalent at UCSD in order to credit
your experience. (eg. inpatient pediatrics elective faculty at UCSD to
sign for the same elective at Mass General.)
“Don’t stop doing the things you enjoy (working out, socializing, or sleeping). Just learn to manage
your time and money.”
Third Year Grades
At the end of every rotation you will take a standardized exam called the
“Shelf Exam.” Your evaluations of your performance on the wards and
your shelf score will determine your grade (i.e. Honors, Near Honors,
Excellent, Very Good...). Each rotation will have a slightly different
formula for weighing your clinical evaluations (based on your
presentations of patients, your ability to problem solve, your
interpersonal skills and professionalism, etc) and your shelf. However,
DO NOT think that a really good clinical evaluation will make up for poor
performance on the shelf. In general, if you want to do very well on your
rotations, and earn honors, you MUST do VERY WELL on your shelf
exam.
Shelf format:
The shelf is a standardized test in which you are given roughly 2 hours to
answer about 100 questions. Many students find that the hardest part of
taking the shelf is completing it in the time allotted, so move fast. In
general, the questions are usually fairly straightforward, so if you read a
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question you know, mark you answer and move on quickly to save some
time for more difficult questions. The majority of the test is standard
multiple choice questions with extended matching questions at the end
(reminiscent of USMLE 1), with a few pictures thrown in for good
measure. Most likely you will find the Shelf exams challenging, but the
more you prepare, the better your score will be.
Preparing for shelf exams:

The best advice for preparing for shelf exams is to START EARLY. Not
only will you feel like you got more out of your rotation if you studied all
along, you will also be prepared for “pimp” questions (ok, some
questions) if you have studied bread and butter diseases for each
rotation. Some students like to make flashcards as they study, then
throw the cards into their white coat pockets for review. Do you
remember April saying you should use every moment of your time wisely
(i.e. pull out flashcards while waiting in line at the grocery store)? Well,
now you should pull out your cards and study when you are waiting for
rounds to start, waiting for labs to come back, etc. You will be shocked
at how much “down-time” there can be in an average day. Make sure to
do plenty of multiple-choice questions THROUGHOUT the preparation
for your shelf- DO NOT wait until the end to start doing questions.
Review Books:
In general, the “Case Files” series is money for nearly every rotation in
the sense that it gives great case based presentations and thoughtful
commentary and teaching points. “Blueprints” is concise and hits most of
the high points—though some thought it too basic, plus it has some
review questions in the back (however, these review questions are
definitely easier than the Shelf questions). “Pretest” series and any
“clinical vignette” type books also come recommended by previous third
“It is easy to get a thousand prescriptions but hard to get one single remedy.” – Chinese proverb
years in as much as they give you questions from which to study, albeit
not of the same format (shorter question stems and more factoid nit-
picky than the shelf exams). When it comes to your Surgery rotation get
Surgery Recall, its good for wards pimping, pre-case preparation, and
the shelf. If possible, commit this book to memory, and then read it
again- it is that useful. MKSAP is a great source for shelf-style questions
for Medicine rotation, OB-GYN rotation coordinator emails out a link to
online questions that are very shelf-like, and Peds rotation has you do
CLIPP cases online which are helpful with shelf studying. In order to not
spend a small fortune on books you should trade books with friends
(make sure to write your name in you book if you want it back because
by the end of your rotations you are bound to forget who has your
books), or take advantage of the new UCSD SOM Lending Library.
Another resource is the online clinical reference library, (accessed
though the BML) “Up To Date.” Also DON’T miss book sales put on by
the class above you- you can pick up a lot of books cheaply and often
students organizing the sale will give advice on which books are ‘high
yield’ to buy.
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Making the Most Out of Rounds:
If you want to get the most out of rounds then make an effort to follow
(from a distance) patients that are not yours. This way when the team is
going over patients that are not yours you 1) won’t fall asleep, 2) will
learn how to manage many more diseases than if you only pay attention
to what is said about your patients. Keep in mind that your FIRST priority
is staying on top of your patients If your patients are all you can handle,
then don’t sweat following other patients, but if you have a little spare
time, then pay attention to the
other patients on the service as
well. Just don’t follow anyone
else’s patients so closely that
you step on an intern, or fellow
medical students’ toes.
Whether you think you can or think you can’t you are right.
FOURTH YEAR
Clerkships
During your fourth year, you will continue to do clerkships either at the
hospital or with private physicians who are on the faculty. You can do
clerkships in any specialty you like, provided you meet some general
requirements outlined in the Advisor and Student Handbook. Fourth year
is a good opportunity to learn about subspecialties such as Dermatology,
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Radiology, Ophthalmology, Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine,
rd
among others. Alternatively, you can do another rotation in a 3 year
clerkships to gain deeper experience before starting your residency.
Tip: If you want to do away clerkships you should apply EARLY. Most
away rotations require you to have proof of vaccinations (often in the
form of titers that you will have to go to student health and have drawn)
and you may have to submit a letter of recommendation. The OSA can
provide you with a letter saying that your school will cover you for
Liability and Health Insurance while you are rotating at another
institution. In general, look into what you will need as soon as you
decide that you want to do an away rotation.
USMLE “Boards,” Step II

Clinical Knowledge
Besides residency interviews and selection, the other main event during
the fourth year is the USMLE, Step II. Like the first boards exam, this is a
one-day test that lasts about eight hours. It generally plays a lesser role
in admissions than Step 1, but since results are back prior to interviews
many residency programs across specialties will factor it into their
admission decisions. If you do not pass the first time, you can retake it
later; you have two additional opportunities to pass. UCSD requires you
to take the Step II exam within approximately 3 months of completing
your third year clerkships.
USMLE “Boards,” Step II
Clinical Skills and CPX
Starting with the Class of 2005, fourth year medical students are required
to pass a clinical skills exam in addition to the written Step II. The exam
People are judged by what they finish- not by what they start.
is given at test centers around the country, the closest being in Los
Angeles lasts all day and tests basic exam skills on several standardized
patients. The exam is expensive ($1000) and requires early registration
to secure a test spot in Los Angeles. Not doing so may require a flight
out of California. Despite this the exam is generally considered relatively
easy and only rarely does a UCSD student not pass. Most students are
prepared with minimal studying because they’ve already completed the
more thorough CPX exam, which the state of California requires medical
students to pass in order to demonstrate basic exam skill competency.
The CPX is administered in early July before most students sign up for
Step II CS.
Independent Study Project (ISP)
During your fourth year, you may use two months of your time enrolled to
work on your ISP if you have not finished it. You MUST complete your
ISP in order to graduate. Be sure to submit all ISP proposal material by
May 1 of your third year, or you will not be able to advance to begin your
fourth year. One thing that makes fourth year a lot easier is finishing the
ISP before the fourth year so that you won’t have it hanging over your
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head. Many students are able to relax and travel during the spring before
graduation if they complete their ISP early on.
Focused Clinical Multidisciplinary ISP (FCM-ISP)

People doing their ISP during their 4th year have an additional ISP
option (not available to MS I, II, and III students): “Focused Clinical
Multidisciplinary ISP” (FCM-ISP). Whereas the traditional ISP involves
hypothesis-driven research at the bench or bedside, the FCM-ISP is
geared for those more interested in synthesizing work from many clinical
disciplines into expertise in one topic. In other words, pick a topic of
interest (e.g. astrocytomas) and study it for two months from several
perspectives (e.g. pathology, clinical care, neurosurgical treatments,
rehabilitation). Students completing the FCM-ISP are expected to
deepen their clinical knowledge through their experiences. Patient
contact is required for the FCM-ISP, but not the traditional ISP. In short,
the FCMISP is a flexible clinical alternative to the ISP.
Principles to Clinical Practice (PCP or P2P)

This is a 4-week class in February. Students attend class roughly four
mornings a week, three to four hours a day and 12-15 hours per week.
Additionally, there are weekly library and teamwork assignments. The
course presents several complicated, multidisciplinary cases to be
addressed each week by a group of 12 students. The week’s activities
feature student presentations, faculty presentations, and questions
fielded by “expert physicians.” Students are challenged to evaluate the
latest treatments for various diseases. Some of the course’s goals
include: integrating basic science into advanced clinical medicine;
promoting evidence-based medicine; improving clinical reasoning and
problem-solving skills; addressing orphan subjects like nutrition, which
If you can laugh at yourself there is hope.
aren’t adequately covered in the curriculum; and exploring ethical
dilemmas in the practice of medicine.
Residency Interviews
The fourth year is flexible because it is the time for applying to residency
programs and going to interviews. Most students fill out their applications
during the summer and at the beginning of the fall of their fourth year.
Interviews can begin in the fall around October or November, though
peak interview season is generally in December and January. Most of
the teaching hospitals are on the Match program. In this program,
students order their top-choice picks of schools they have interviewed at,
and the hospitals likewise rank their candidates in order. A computer
takes all this information and tries to make the best match that can
satisfy both the student and the hospital, with preference to the students’
choices. On Match Day, in March, students learn where they will be
residents.
Residency Application
The application is now all electronic in the regular Match. You will get
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some information in the 3rd year about the ERAS application service
which can be located at <aamc.org> and then you can start your
application as early as August of your 4th year. However, many of these
components should be sought after earlier than such a time period. The
following section will be written with an emphasis on the item in the
application packet, when and how you should go about obtaining it and
then its relative importance in the application.
Your application is going to be the only item that a residency selection

committee is going to have when it decides who to invite for an interview.
As a general rule, residency programs will interview 10 people for every
spot on their program, though this varies tremendously based on
specialty and how competitive a given program is. This can mean as
many as 200 or so for a decent sized Internal Medicine program to 10 for
a Neurosurgical program. The application is paramount for getting the
interview invite and important for being ranked highly by the program.
Common Application Form (CAF): This form is filled out when you
register for the ERAS application. It basically has your personal and
school information. It also contains many aspects of your CV which will
include your extracurricular activities, work experience, publications,
honors, awards, and interests. This form is reflective of your experience
during undergraduate, graduate, and medical education. It should be
written without errors and well worded. This item should be written as
soon as you have time to do it (August- September). It is a moderately
important piece in the application.
USMLE Step I: In the ERAS application, you will release scores for your
USMLE Step I at the time of certification of application. The scoring of
the USMLE Step I is bizarre to say the least. There are 2 scores: a 3-
“The past is now part of the future, the present well out of hand” – Ian Curtis
digit score and a 2-digit score. There are varying opinions on what a
good score is, but some generalizations include:
¾ Roughly 90% of US Medical Students pass on the first try.

¾ A 3-digit score of 185 is needed to pass the exam (about 60%).
¾ The average hovers around 220 (SD=20).
¾ Grading of scores is entirely subjective and varies by specialty. Each
year the Match releases data that includes average Step 1 and Step
2 scores for applicants who matched and who did not match. The
averages for matched applicants for more competitive specialties
can approach 240 and for less competitive specialties can be as low
as 210 or 215. Generally a score above the national average is more
than adequate.
Some residency programs will utilize a “cut-off” for interview invites. This
“cut-off” varies from program to program. Since most other medical
schools do not require the Step II to be completed until the end of the
year, most residency programs will only have a copy of the USMLE Step
I. Therefore, this piece in the application process is critically important.
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USMLE Step II Clinical Knowledge: There is an option to release your

USMLE Step II scores or not depending on when you take the Step II.
This test is a 8 hour test consisting of 8 blocks of questions on material
learned during the 3rd year of medical school. Most students will
consider this test easier than the Step I because most students are more
actively studying during the 3rd year. The scoring of this exam is exactly
the same as for the USMLE Step I and so it will not be discussed in this
section. Strategies for taking the USMLE Step II CK early include:
¾ Making up for a poorer performance on the USMLE Step I.

¾ Certain residency programs value the Step II CK over the Step I
If you have an excellent USMLE Step I score, then you may wish to
delay taking your USMLE Step II as late as possible. With a poor Step I
score, Step II CK is critically important.
USMLE Step II Clinical Skills (CS): Again, there is an option to release
your Step II Clinical Skills scores during the ERAS application. This test
is an 8 hour test that costs approximately $1,000 and consists of 12
patient encounters. The patients are standardized patients played by
actors and actresses, and there are multiple different clinical scenarios
which may include a routine visit, phone calls, mother and child, specific
complaints, emergent complaints, social and psychiatric problems, and
so forth. The scoring of this exam is based on how personable you are,
English proficiency, communication skills, ability to do a focused history
and physical, information sharing, ability to write a SOAP note, and
appropriate treatment plans. You will either receive a PASS or a FAIL
and breakdown of the scoring on why you failed. This test is generally
done in the beginning to middle of your 4th year. Generally, residency
“The best thing you’ve got going for you is individuality” – Richard Thompson
programs don’t care about this piece of information unless you didn’t
pass it. Therefore, this piece is not important.
Letters of Recommendation: Generally, most residency programs require
3 letters of recommendation. Some specialties ask for two letters from
the specialty which you are applying to. Some programs will allow for
more than three letters and some will not. This can all be researched
closer to fourth year as it varies tremendously between programs and
specialties. You are generally given the opportunity to waive your right to
see the letters and this is a good idea as it will make your letters seem
stronger. Letters of recommendation are generally obtained during the
4th year local and away - in the field you are choosing to apply in. Other
letters are written by faculty during the 3rd year of medical school or
during an unrelated sub-internship. Even more, letters can be written by
faculty in which you did research with. When picking faculty for letters of
recommendation, you should try and:
¾ Pick at least 1 from the specialty you are applying into, possibly 2
depending on the field you are applying into.
¾ Get letters from faculty who know you well, but all other things being
equal, people who are known within their field are better.
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After picking faculty and printing out cover sheets in ERAS, you should
supply those letter writers with a copy of your academic file, including an
updated CV,a copy of your board scores, and a personal statement once
you have it. You should also schedule a meeting with your letter writers
ahead of time to talk about your decision to apply into a given field. This
will allow your letter writer to compose a more meaningful and more
powerful letter. The letters of recommendation should be sought after as
soon as you feel a faculty knows you well and likes you enough to write a
strong letter of recommendation. While your application will not be fully
developed until the 4th year, getting faculty to agree to write a letter
during the 3rd year would be a great idea. Generally, the summer of your
4th year is when letters are primarily sought. The turn-around time for a
letter varies, but should be within a month or so. Most of the time, if a
letter is late, it is because of multiple other letters and multiple faculty
commitments. A friendly reminder could serve you well. Depending on
the specialty, familiar names and old colleagues, can be a powerful
advocate for you. While all letters of recommendation are
overwhelmingly positive, these letters are scrutinized for “key language.”
Therefore, this piece of the application is moderately important.
Personal Statement: The personal statement is a statement about
yourself, your interest in your specialty, and any special activities or
situations that may distinguish yourself from other applicants. Generally,
it should be no more than one page 500 words. It should be
grammatically correct and proofread for grammar and spelling mistakes.
It should also be proofread for content by a faculty in the department in
which you are applying. The personal statement should be started in the
summer of your 4th year and should be finished before applications are
due to be complete, Nov 1. Since you need to certify to be invited to
interview and you cannot edit the personal statement or add it after you
have certified,
“Have more things than school to work on and feel proud about—little weekend trips.”
you should try and do this earlier, such as September or October.

Generally, the personal statement is glazed over by faculty so they can
get a chance to know you. The personal statement can generally hurt
you more than it can help if you lack a basic grasp of the English
language or come across as peculiar or egomaniacal. Better to play it
safe. Therefore, this piece of the application is minimally to moderately
important.
Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE): Previously known as

the “Dean’s Letter”, the MSPE details all of your academic credentials
since the start of medical school. This letter also includes some of your
undergraduate accomplishments as well. It includes a narrative of your
awards and publications and your ISP. This narrative includes preclinical
grades, clinical grades, sub-internship grades, USMLE performance, and
overall academic performance. This letter is written in a standardized
fashion. The letter is written in October of your 4th year and you are
given an opportunity to peruse it with the Associate Dean for
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Undergraduate Medical Education. The letter then goes out to all schools
of Nov 1. Because this aspect of the application is so broad, here is a
breakdown the parts of the MSPE into their appropriate aspects:
Preclinical Grades: Includes your grade (Fail, Provisionally Passing,

Pass, High Pass, Honors) and an excerpt from narrative evaluations.
Course include CBB, OP, POP, SBS, ICM, ERM, BN, HA, HEME,
HISTO, PATH, LM. Electives are not included. During the first two years
of medical school, it is the trend in academic performance and
excellence that is important, not the actual grades. Your ability to be a
great physician is not based on basic science understanding. Therefore,
most residencies will not look at this performance critically and it is
minimally important.
Clinical Grades Includes your grade (Fail, Pass, High Pass, Near
Honors, Honors) and a long narrative evaluation about your performance
during the clerkship. Clerkships included in the MSPE include Pediatrics,
Neurology, Surgery, Medicine, Reproductive Medicine and Psychiatry.
While a trend in academic excellence is important, excelling in areas of
medicine that are related to your specialty are very important.
Additionally, unlike sub-internships, only a small percentage of students
will achieve a grade of “honors”, which most residency committees
realize. They take clinical grades very seriously in their decision making.
Therefore, excellence during these courses is critically important.
Sub-internship Grades: Includes your sub-internship during 4th year in

the specialty in which you are applying (Although it is not sufficient or
necessary to residency application), and any sub-internship which is
completed by the time the MSPE is written and sent out. The summaries
include a narrative about your performance as well as your actual grade.
Since most sub-internships will give students an “Honors” or equivalent
grade, the narrative evaluation becomes very important. Therefore,
“An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why must the pessimist always run to blow it
out?” – Rene Descartes
excellent performance during your home sub-internship is critically
important.
Overall Performance: The overall performance is just a regurgitation of

your performance during medical school. Some schools will use a
ranking system and some will use a narrative ranking systems such as
“outstanding”, “excellent”, “good”, etc. Since this is just a regurgitation of
all of the preceding information, this descriptor is not important.
Transcripts: You will release your transcripts which will provide objective
proof of your MSPE and your CAF. Therefore, this piece of information is
merely a formality and not important.
Photograph: A 2 inch by 2 inch or 2 inch by 3 inch photograph is used in

the application. This does not need to be professionally done. You
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should be wearing something that isn’t scrubs and should be shaven with
your hair looking somewhat combed. The purpose of this photo is to ID
you when you come to interview. Therefore it is not important.
Interviews
Interviews will start to roll in soon after you have certified your application
via the ERAS website, Scheduling interviews is arduous and expensive,
so budget accordingly and schedule your courses accordingly. Details
are beyond the scope of this section. However, the interview experience
will be detailed in this section. The amount of interviews you should do
depends on the competitiveness of the program you are applying into,
the number of spots available in the country, and the competitiveness of
your application. You can speak to your advisor on an individual basis for
advice. Generally, if a program interviews 10 people for each spot, then
they are banking that 10% of people will match there. To maximize your
percentage of matching, you should thus apply to greater than 10
programs. Once an interview is scheduled, you should try and schedule
other interviews during the same time period if they are close to each
other. You should look online early for flight costs. There are several
carriers that offer very cheap flights, but on a limited coverage area.
Southwest Airlines <southwest.com> provides excellent service to most
major cities. JetBlue Airways <jetblue.com> provides cheap service
coast-to-coast and to the bay area, as does Virgin America. There are
several sites that provide comparisons of multiple carriers including
Expedia <expedia.com>, Travelocity <travelocity.com>, Kayak
<kayak.com>, and Side Step <sidestep.com>. For housing, most
programs will provide a list of residents that are hosting and UCSD has a
list of alumni in various major metropolitan areas that have agreed to
host students. (See Alumni Office for information). The interview day
usually consists of a presentation by the program director about the
program and benefits. This is accompanied by breakfast of some sort.
Then 2-5 interviews by residents, nurses, faculty or a combination
thereof are completed. This is followed by a lunch and tour of the
campus. There is sometimes a debriefing session held at the end.
“Your history acts as your gravity.” – Joseph Arthur
The interviews serve two purposes: The faculty has already decided that
you were academically qualified for their program otherwise they would
not have invited you. Therefore, they serve to answer two questions:
1. Who is this person? Can I work with this person for X years?
2. Will this person thrive at program X?
The other purpose of these interviews is for you to have your concerns
answered. These concerns can be multiple and will vary depending on
the specialty in which you are applying. Some examples of concerns that
you may wish to bring up either during or outside of the interview include:
1. What is the patient population?

2. How much OR/teaching/clinic/call time do I have?
3. Do you allow moonlighting?
4. Where do people work after residency?
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5. What do residents do for fun?
6. Do residents get academic employment afterwards?
7. What is your fellowship placement?
Since the interview is your time to probe the program, try and make use
of it by gathering as much information as you can. Beware however, that
by the time that interview 10 rolls around, you may already know all of
the questions that are generally asked of you and you may know all of
the answers that are given to questions posed by you. Unless you make
a total ass out of yourself or you come across as a total arrogant jerk, the
interview will usually help you. Since the interview is more about
matching personalities and professional interests, and since everyone
who receives an interview is deemed to be academically qualified, this is
likely the most important determinant of match. The other things on the
application earn you the interview, but the interview determines where
you match.
The Rank List

So the time has come for you to decide how you want to rank the
programs in which you are applying. Applicants will rank all of the
categorical, prelim, and advanced programs that they apply into with a
numerical ranking system where 1 is your 1st choice and so forth.
Programs will rank their applicants in a similar system where 1 is their 1st
choice and so forth. These lists are generally completed in mid-February.
The lists are fed into a computer where it looks at the programs’ and
applicants’ list and tries to optimize both lists. You may hear advice
about how to manipulate the system so that you can get your #1 by
ranking it #3 and such, but the honest truth is:
1. Rank only programs that you have interviewed at and you would be
willing to go to.
2. Rank programs in the order in which you prefer them.
“People think I'm a miserable sod but it's only because I get asked such bloody miserable
questions.” – Nick Cave
Make sure you really like your #1, 2 and 3 because at UCSD, you have a
very good chance of getting just that. There are questions that arise as to
what factors you should consider when ranking a program. Some of the
factors that may come up are:
Prestige, Faculty, Competitiveness, Vacation Time, Location, salary,
Quality of Residents, Pathology Seen, Patient population, Quality of Off-
Service Rotations, OR Time, Academic Advancement, Research, and
Flexibility.
The following are serious questions you should consider when ranking:
¾ Will I thrive (academically & clinically) at this residency program?
¾ Will I be able to pursue my career at this program? (Fellowship?
Academic vs Community? Practice Location?)
¾ Will I thrive outside of the residency program? (Social life, significant
other, family, environment, friends, etc.)
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After you have completed your rank list with NRMP and have certified it,
you are not allowed to back and change it.
Match Day
In mid-March, everyone who participated in the regular Match will meet
for a formal ceremony. 2 days prior to that ceremony, individuals that
DID NOT MATCH will be called by the Office of Student Affairs. These
individuals will work with the Office of Student Affairs, be given a list of all
programs with PGY-I positions that DID NOT FILL, and start calling
programs to secure a spot for the next year. This process is known as
“The Scramble”. After these individuals have called and either secured a
spot or found alternative plans for the next year, they will attend the
regular match ceremony with all of their classmates. At the ceremony,
there will be an envelope for each person. Inside that envelope is a
listing of your PGY-I location and any residency training thereafter. It is a
joyous occasion and marks the completion of a long and arduous training
process.
Graduation Requirements
For satisfactory completion of the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree at
the University of California at San Diego, the following must be met
before June of the year of graduation. Note that there is no requirement
for residency application or placement at the end of medical school.
¾ Successful completion of all preclinical courses in the MS-I and

MS-III years.
¾ Successful completion of 21 elective units in preclinical years.
¾ Passing score on the USMLE Step I.
¾ Passing score on the OSCE.
¾ Successful completion of all clinical clerkships during MS-III.
“A wise man should so write that wise men only should be able to commend him.” –
Thomas Hobbes
¾ Passing score on the CPX.
¾ Passing score on the USMLE Step II CK.
¾ Passing grade on the USMLE Step II CS.
¾ Submission and acceptance of the Independent Study Project by
April of the MS-IV year.
¾ Completion of the California Family Practice Requirement (may
be done in 3rd or 4th year).
¾ Completion of 6 months of direct patient care during the MS-IV
year. Of these, the following conditions must be met:
o One Inpatient Direct Patient Care month
o One Primary Care Direct Patient Care month
o One Outpatient Direct Patient Care month
¾ Completion of 9 months of active enrollment at UCSD during the
MS-IV year, 6 months of which should be direct patient care.
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¾ There may be no more than 3 months of vacation.
¾ There may be no more than 2 months of ISP-related research.
¾ Completion of Principles to Practice.
Advising and Mentoring

The advisors and mentors at UCSD Med School are not people you seek
out only when you need academic advice, they are your friends and
support system during all parts of your medical career, from the most
triumphant to the most depressing moments. Make sure you take the
time to get to know all of them and, in the future, make an effort to help
the students in the classes after yours.
Big Sib
Big Sibs are the wonderful and amazingly talented MS-IIs who have
successfully survived their first year at UCSD. Since they have been
here a year, they can give you a heads-up with what you need to know
for each course. If you’re lucky, they’ll put goodies in your box on exam
days. Many will also let you borrow old notes, books, flashcards, and
other things they don’t want to have in their closet. They can also give
you practical advice, such as what not to order at Club Med, and where
the hippest scenes in town are located.
“The important thing is NOT to stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein

Senior Mentor (Fourth year medical student)
The Senior Mentor is an even older Big Sib. Senior mentors often don’t
have much time to meet, but many find that if you make the effort they
are more than willing to help out. They can give you an idea of what to
expect during the clinical years and how to decide on which field you will
choose to pursue. They will also try to dump old books on you, a few of
which may actually be helpful. Most importantly, the peer mentors will
help you maintain a healthy perspective on life and medical school.
OSA Advisor
Your OSA advisor is conveniently located in the OSA. Your advisor can
help you plan your curriculum and answer many academic-related
questions. Often students talk to them about non-academic problems, or
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just gripe about their current significant other. You can make an
appointment to see your advisor anytime during the year. There are a
few times (fall quarter of your first year, winter quarter of your second
year) when they will have scheduled meetings with students to go over
their academic progress and to plan “trivial” things such as Board and
clerkship scheduling. During your meeting with your OSA Advisor you
can review course evaluations and other contents of your file. You can
also discuss anything else you wish, for example:
¾ Preclinical elective course requirements
¾ Grades/grade appeals
¾ ISP and FCM-ISP
¾ Leaves of absence and deceleration
¾ Help with academic difficulties
¾ Other SOM policies and requirements
During the Clinical years, your OSA advisor can provide some help with
planning 3rd and 4th year’s schedule, the MSPE, and CPX:
¾ Preview of 3rd and 4th years (including tentative calendars)

¾ Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)
¾ Clinical Practice Examination (CPX)
Deans
Even though Dr. Kelly is the Associate Dean of Admissions and Student
Affairs and Dr. Moutier is the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, you can
also go to them to get help with any difficulties you may be encountering.
You can make an appointment to see them or you can find them at
various events throughout the year. Dr. Kelly and Dr. Moutier can help
you with many problems, both academic and otherwise.
Faculty Mentor
The faculty mentor can assist you with your career and academic plans,
academic difficulty, give research and ISP contacts, and help with
“Interested in clinical experience? Join the Student-Run Free Clinic!”
preceptorship options. Most faculty mentors would be happy to give you

insight into their field and even a tour of where they work. If you’re lucky,
some will even take you out to lunch, or invite you to their house for
dinner. And if they don’t, it never hurts to extend an invitation to them.
There will also be a couple of faculty-student receptions during the year
where you will have the opportunity to talk with your faculty mentor.
Senior Faculty Advisor

The senior faculty advisor is selected by the student in the middle of third
year and is mainly responsible for reviewing the fourth year electives
chosen by the student. This is arguably one of the most important
advisors in your medical career. He/she can be asked to write one of
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your recommendations for residency programs, which is often a
conglomeration of multiple recommendations written by doctors in the
field who have had to evaluate you.
Sometimes we all have a bad day, but when that bad day turns into a
personal crisis it is best to seek help quickly!
Academic difficulty
See your advisor in the Office of Student Affairs first. Your advisor can
help you find more resources for specific problems that you are facing.
While meeting with your advisor you may want to explore how you might
learn to study more effectively or how you might resolve personal issues
that are distracting you from medical school. Don’t wait until you’re
thinking of petitioning to have your elective hours waived, taking a leave
of absence, or decelerating. Ask for help early! You can also read more
about these options in the Advisor and Student Handbook.
As soon as possible, make an appointment to see the tutor(s) at the

Office of Educational Supporting Services (OESS) who cover the
subjects that you are having difficulty in. The tutors can often offer
specific study strategies and help you pinpoint your weaknesses by
reviewing your old tests with you. The tutorial services are not remedial
and can range from group reviews, to Q&A sessions, to one-on-one
tutorials. Even if you think you’re too smart to need a tutor, swallow your
pride and go anyway. They can truly be of great help!
“Get tutorial help early. Y-ing or failing a class is the last thing you want to do, but not the end of
the world if it happens.”
The OESS offers a wide range of services to help improve your
academic performance. Tutorial assistance is available in the major core
courses in the first year. For the second year, reviews for the USMLE
are offered. In the first year courses, group reviews are normally
scheduled throughout each quarter and will emphasize the more difficult
topics. Individual assistance is also available. Just make an appointment
with the appropriate Tutorial Program staff member if you feel that you
need additional help. This is the first place you should go if you
happen to find yourself below the pass line.
The OESS staff members develop supplementary learning materials

(charts, diagrams, summaries, practice quizzes, etc.), which are
available at either the Office or on E-reserves. You will be notified about
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the supplementary materials that are currently available via your class
forum. The utility of theses reviews cannot be emphasized enough!
Office of Educational Supporting Services

http://meded.ucsd.edu/ugme/oess
Location: Basic Sciences Building, Room 1208
Nora Laiken, Ph.D., Director

858-534-2131 nlaiken@ucsd.edu
OP, POP
April Apperson, M.S., Assistant Director

858-534-6324 aapperson@ucsd.edu
IMM, CMBD, OP, ERM
Steve Schneid, B.S., Senior Learning Skills Counselor

858-534-6962 sschneid@ucsd.edu
BHD, OP, POP, BN, ERM
“Everything is vague to a degree you do not realize till you have tried to make it precise” – Bertrand
Russell
Paul Kingston, Ph.D.

858-534-8599 pkingsto@ucsd.edu
IMM, CMBD, OP, ERM
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Carrie Owen, Administrative Coordinator

Tutorial & Summer Program Administrator
858-534-1519 cnowen@ucsd.edu
Financial difficulty
The Vice Dean for Medical Education, Dr. Savoia, has an emergency
fund that she can loan you money from if you have tried other options
that have failed. The emergency fund consists of donations from Dr.
Savoia, friends, and alumni. You should pay back the loan at your
earliest convenience and consider making a contribution to the fund
when able.
If you think that your financial aid is insufficient, write down where all
your money is going (you could be surprised!), and go talk to the people
in the financial aid office, located in the Evergreen Building across from
the Pharmacy Building.
Personal difficulty
Medical school can be a rewarding yet stressful place. Sometimes the
stress can become too much for one person to bear alone, so it is a good
idea to see your OSA advisor and/or a specialist if you are encountering
difficulty. Please note that all of these services are confidential.
1. There are many resources in the Psychological and Counseling

Services Center at 190 Galbraith Hall <(858)534-3755>. Students who
would like to see a psychologist should call and identify themselves as
medical students when speaking with the receptionist. For more
information about these services, please see the Student Health
Services section of this guide.
“Inevitably, when reviewing your notes for a test, the most important ones will be illegible.”
2. Ask your OSA advisor or Dr. Kelly and Dr. Moutier for help with any
difficulties you might be facing. They can help you find resources or give
you a referral to see a psychiatrist.
Emergency
If something goes wrong and you need help immediately — say, you spill
a hazardous fungus in an MDL and don’t know what to do, contact:
Dr. Kelly @ (858) 525-5334 (cell)
Dr. Moutier @ (858) 692-2570 (cell)
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OR call Student Affairs @ (858) 543-3700
Of course, in the case of theft, violence, fire, or serious injury, calling 911
or 534-HELP on the UCSD campus will get you police, ambulance, and
firefighting aid.
“When you're chewing on life's gristle, don't grumble; give a whistle, and this'll help things turn out
for the best. And…always look on the bright side of life.” – Eric Idle
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Medical Education - Student Services

Maria Savoia, M.D. 858-534-3703 msavoia@ucsd.edu
Vice Dean for Medical Education
Jackie Lewis 858-534-3703 j9lewis@ucsd.edu

Executive Assistant for Dean Savoia
Carolyn Kelly, M.D. 858-534-3701 ckelly@ucsd.edu

Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs
Christine Moutier, M.D. 858-534-3701 cmoutier@ucsd.edu

Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
Sandy Barber 858-534-3701 sabarber@ucsd.edu

Executive Assistant for Dean Kelly and Dean Moutier
Ramón Aldecoa 858-534-0366 raldecoa@ucsd.edu

Director of Student Life
Joyce Felder 858-534-1393 jfelder@ucsd.edu

SOM Registrar
Terry Etalan 858-534-5215 telfalan@ucsd.edu

Assistant Registrar
Brian Zeglen 858-534-1515 bzeglen@ucsd.edu

Director of Admissions
Carol Hartupee 858-534-4664 chartupee@ucsd.edu

Director of Financial Aid
Sandra Pesante 858-534-1395 spesante@ucsd.edu

Student Affairs Officer
Michelle Cusack 858-534-3702 mcusack@ucsd.edu

Student Affairs Officer
Natalie Price 858-534-0689 neprice@ucsd.edu

Medical Scientist Training Program Coordinator
Jess Mandel, M.D. 858-822-3067 jmandel@ucsd.edu

Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education
Jennifer Farace 858-822-5553 jfarace@ucsd.edu

Director of UGME Administration
Catherine Doran 858-822-2014 cdoran@ucsd.edu

ISP Coordinator
Denise Le Strange 858-534-6002 dlestrange@ucsd.edu

Elective Coordinator and Third Year Scheduler
Nora Laiken, Ph.D. 858-534-1519 nlaiken@ucsd.edu

Assistant Dean for Curricular and Student Affairs
Director of Educational Support Services
“Take a spin class through the Recreational department.”

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Student Groups and Projects
UCSD has a great variety of student groups and clubs. They are a great
way of exploring interests, finding new friends, or banding together for a
great cause. Joining organizations is easy; current list are available on
the web portal or at the OSA front desk. Or, if you’re too shy to cold-call
people, show up to the ever-popular Activity Fair scheduled during the
first week of classes. Also, meeting times are usually written on the
sideboards in the lecture hall or on the Web Portal. Look carefully since
some may be offering free food. Enjoy the small smorgasbord of clubs
and organizations.
If you are interested in creating a new student group, you need to make
a constitution. You can consult Ramon Aldecoa and the Student and
Advisor Handbook for more details. Student groups are advised to post
their events on the official UCSD School of Medicine Events Calendar—
this way groups can prevent overlap between already scheduled
activities. If you have any questions, talk to the front desk at the OSA.
There are also many undergraduate student groups that may be of

interest to you. You can find out more information about these groups
online: <ucsd.edu/alpha/departments.html?dept=SO>
Student Government
The Student Government at the UCSD School of Medicine, in its current
format, was established to improve the level of communication,
representation, and involvement of medical students at all levels of the
Medical School. To fulfill these ends, the government charter includes
three kinds of positions: Council positions, Representative positions, and
Committee positions.
History
The seeds for the current student government were planted in the spring
of 2000, when a group of fourth year students approached first year
students and suggested that a better government structure be created.
“Science is the knowledge of consequences, and the dependence of one fact upon another” –
Thomas Hobbes
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That summer, a handful of concerned students gathered in the MDL, to
create a charter constitution for a new student government. The current
student government structure was created to establish accountability and
representation with consensus, if not of the whole class, then at least of
those involved in the student government. Representatives are, hence,
never left in the dark as to what the class opinion is, and have the
support of their fellow students.
Representatives take pride in their roles and serve students well at the
committee meetings they attend. Also, the new system allows students
to work together and coordinate their efforts on issues concerning
multiple committees (e.g. the CCC rep and the ICM rep working together
to get elements of ICM into first quarter of medical school). Most
importantly though, this type of government helps foster an environment
in which communication between the faculty/administrators and students
can blossom.
We highly encourage you to get involved in student government. No, it’s

not the geeky, brown-nosing, insignificant power hungry establishment
you found in your undergraduate days. The student government at
UCSD SOM actually touches students’ lives in many different ways. For
example, it organizes school social events (i.e. bonfires, formals, and
talent show), helps improve recruiting at our school, encourages courses
to have more review sessions, or relays important messages to students
about exams and organization meetings. Join in!
Council Positions
There are five Council positions: President, Director of Fiscal & Social
Affairs, Director of Academic Affairs, Director of Professional Affairs, and
Director of Admissions & Public Outreach. Each position has a unique
task in the overall success of the student government, but generally, they
are the core group that ensures goals are set, striven toward, and met.
They are intimately in contact with the Representatives, the
administration, and the medical student body. Generally, these positions
require more time commitment than Representative positions. To hold
any of these positions, you need to be in good academic standing.
1) President: Primary representative for the class

¾ Will attend and conduct monthly Class Meetings
¾ Will prepare and post an agenda for Class Meetings
¾ Will work with the Student Affairs staff to obtain and post minutes
from Class Meetings in a timely and consistent fashion
¾ Will inform class about information gained during Student
Council Meetings
¾ Will serve as the primary intermediary between the class and
interested parties
¾ Will compile and post updates for the class at least once/quarter
“Fish recognize a bad leader.” – Conan O’Brien
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2) Director of Fiscal and Social Affairs: Primary coordinator of social

activities and fundraising
¾ Will be in charge of the class account and manage student funds
¾ Will coordinate fundraising for the class
¾ Will plan social activities for the class and with the Social
Committee implement said activities
¾ Will be responsible for Orientation Week social activities (MSII
Officer)
¾ Primary Class Council contact for: GSA, student lounge
committee, and student organizations
3) Director of Academic Interests: Primary student

representative regarding academic issues
¾ Will serve as the CEP Student Representative
¾ Will solicit students’ feedback about the curriculum
¾ Will provide constructive feedback to the faculty, as well as help
plan and implement solutions to any problem that may arise
¾ Will develop and maintain a relationship with the faculty and will
regularly convey their concerns and comments to the students,
as well as facilitate student-faculty interaction
¾ Will work with the Office of Educational Support Services and
other academic support groups
¾ Primary Class Council contact for the Student Representatives:
CCC, EC, SPC, SAC, Course Committees (e.g. SBS, OP, ICM),
EdCom Advisory Committee, Excellence in Teaching Award
Committee
4) Director of Professional Interests: Primary representative to

enhance the professional development of students
¾ Will assist and coordinate communication between professional
organizations and the student body
¾ Will build and maintain contact with the professional community
in San Diego for the enrichment of the students
¾ Will provide information and oversee activities regarding
professional opportunities for current students
¾ Will work with the Student Affairs staff to seek out information
pertaining to grants scholarships, internships, fellowships, and
residency programs for students
¾ Primary student council contact for: AMSA, CMA/AMA, CMF,
Medical Students for Choice, International Electives Database
coordinator, Careers in Medicine, Summer programs (e.g. NIH
grant), and other professional-interest student groups
5) Director of Community Relations and Outreach: Primary

representative for outreach and integration of UCSD School of Medicine
with community of San Diego
¾ Will maintain existing community service programs and facilitate
the realization of new student projects
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“If you don't like what you're doing, then don't do it.” – Ray Bradbury
¾ Will work with cultural organizations to cultivate and maintain
diversity within the school and throughout the community
¾ Will work with Admissions Office, Associate Dean for Admissions
& Student Affairs, and students to attract desirable applicants to
become future UCSD School of Medicine students
¾ Primary student council contact for: LMSA, SNMA, DOC, the
Human Condition, the student health advisory committee (SHIP),
Doc for a Day, and other community-related student groups
Representative Positions
While Representative positions are relatively less time consuming, they
are an instrumental part of the Student Government—these positions are
the essential conduits through which students are represented in all
aspects of our school, UCSD as a whole, and even our community.
There are plenty of varied and equally significant positions available.
Individuals may, if they choose, hold a Rep. and Council position (or
multiple Rep. positions) simultaneously. This is, of course, if they are
elected into these positions and can feasibly handle the time-
commitments involved (remember, we do have medical classes as well).
1) Academic Interests Committee Positions

a. Core Curriculum Committee (CCC) Representative
The CCC Student Representative advocates medical students’ interests
regarding issues concerning core curriculum and serves as the primary
student contact for matters concerning core curriculum. Each class
elects one Student Representative to the CCC. The activities and
responsibilities of the CCC Student Representative fall within the area
covered by the Director of Academic Interests within the UCSD School of
Medicine Student Government. The duties of the CCC Student
Representative include but are not limited to: serving on the CCC,
attending CCC meetings (historically, these meetings have been bi-
weekly), preparing for CCC meetings by pre-reading materials or
conducting other activities, meeting with Student Representatives to core
courses, attending meetings organized by the Director of Academic
Interests, and preparing reports for Class Meetings.
b. Electives Committee (EC) Representative

The EC Student Representative advocates medical students’ interests
regarding issues concerning electives, as well as the Independent Study
Project. Each class elects one Student Representative to the EC. The
activities and responsibilities of the EC Student Representative fall within
the area covered by the Director of Academic Interests within the UCSD
School of Medicine Student Government. The duties of the EC Student
Representative include, but are not limited to: serving on the EC,
“The real price of everything, what everything really costs to the man who wants to acquire it, is the
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toil and trouble of acquiring it.” – Adam Smith
attending EC meetings (historically, these meetings have been monthly),
preparing for EC meetings by prereading materials or conducting other
activities, attending meetings organized by the Director of Academic
c. Standing and Promotions Committee (SPC) Representative

The SPC Student Representative represents medical students’ interests
with regard to policy development or amendments. The SPC Student
Representative is not responsible for acting as an advocate for any
individual student. The Student Representative to the SPC does not
meet with the committee when students are being discussed, but
attends when policy issues are brought to the committee. Each class
elects one Student Representative to the SPC. The activities and
responsibilities of the SPC Student Representative fall within the area
covered by the Director of Academic Interests within the UCSD School
of Medicine Student Government. The duties of the SPC Student
Representative include, but are not limited to: serving on the SPC,
attending SPC meetings when issues of policy are under consideration
(historically these meetings have occurred yearly), preparing for SPC
meetings, attending meetings organized by the Director of Academic
d. Student Affairs Committee (SAC) Representative

The Student Affairs Committee Representative responsibilities include
serving as the representative to the Student Affairs Committee, the
Student Health Advisory Committee, and the Student Lounge
Committee. When serving on the SAC Committee, the student
represents medical students’ interests regarding student life. The SAC
activities and responsibilities of the Representative fall within the area
Medicine Student Government. The SAC duties of the Student
Representative include, but are not limited to: serving on the SAC,
attending SAC meetings (historically these meetings have occurred
monthly), preparing for SAC meetings, attending meetings organized by
the Director of Academic Interests, and preparing reports for Class
Meetings.
When serving on the Student Health Advisory Committee, the Student

Representative acts as a liaison between the UCSD Student Health
Office and the students of the medical school. The Student Health
Advisory Committee activities and responsibilities of the Representative
fall within the area covered by the Director of Social and Fiscal Affairs
within the UCSD School of Medicine Student Government. The Student
Health Advisory Committee duties of the Student Representative include,
but are not limited to: serving on the Student Health Advisory Committee,
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“A man must make his opportunity, as oft as find it.” – Francis Bacon
preparing for and attending Student Health Advisory Committee
meetings, attending meetings and preparing reports for Class Meetings.
When serving on the Student Lounge Committee, the Student
Representative advocates student interests concerning the use and
maintenance of the student lounge. The Student Lounge Committee
activities and responsibilities of the Representative fall within the area
covered by the Director of Social and Fiscal Affairs within the UCSD
School of Medicine Student Government. The Student Lounge
Committee duties of the Student Representative include but are not
limited to: serving on the Student Lounge Committee, preparing for
Student Lounge Committee meetings, attending meetings organized by
the Director of Social and Fiscal, and preparing reports for Class
Meetings.
e. Student Representatives to Courses
Upon election:
¾ Email the course chair(s) with your introductory and contact
information
¾ Obtain course rep folder or binder from previous year’s rep.
¾ Meet with the former rep to go over past issues, minutes, etc.
¾ Discuss with big sibs, etc., how the course has gone in the past
¾ Meet with tutorial staff for their insights into class (Steve and/or
April)
¾ Have a small meeting with course chair(s) to discuss your role
and clarify expectations
Before the course starts:

¾ Review the course schedule, particularly in light of other courses,
exams, breaks, conflicts, etc.
¾ Obtain schedule of course committee meetings from course
chair
¾ Check to see that the course texts are on reserve in library
¾ Check to see that any software, etc. is on reserve at the LRC
¾ Review the course syllabus and other materials for general
quality
¾ Make sure supplemental materials/study aids will be available to
students
¾ Obtain and review any written evaluation of course that you can
get
¾ Identify top 5 priorities from last year’s course and determine
what the course has done to address issues
Throughout the year:

¾ Get to know and work with the student reps from other MS years
¾ Attend all significant course committee meetings
¾ Offer to hold feedback meetings with faculty/course chair during
course
¾ Communicate status and issues to classmates periodically
¾ Participate in relevant student government meetings/functions
¾ Provide appropriate input on issues
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“Character is much easier kept than recovered.” – Thomas Paine
During the course:
¾ Facilitate daily/weekly communication of issues in both directions
¾ Highlight areas of poor performance, bad section leaders, etc. as
early as possible
¾ Assist faculty/student interaction opportunities
¾ Lead the way on providing appropriate class “Thank-you,” etc.
back to faculty, section leaders, staff
After the course is completed:

¾ Help organize and summarize student feedback
¾ Discuss faculty peer review and course review with chair(s)
¾ Communicate the course committee’s decisions on future
improvement back to students
¾ Discuss major issues with class reps to CCC and CEP for future
review
¾ Organize materials for hand-off to next year’s rep
¾ Maintain contact with course chairs and participate in ongoing
forums relating to course
f. Office of Educational Computing (EdCom) Representative

The EdCom Student Representative advocates for students’ interests in
computing to the EdCom Advisory Committee. Each class elects one
person to the EdCom Advisory Committee. The activities and
responsibilities of the Computing Representative fall within the area
Medicine Student Government. The duties of the Computing
Representative include, but are not limited to: serving on the EdCom
Advisory Committee, attending and preparing for EdCom Advisory
Committee meetings, facilitating communication between students and
the EdCom staff, serving on the MI subcommittee of the CEP, attending
and preparing for MI meetings, surveying students on computing needs
and usage, attending meetings organized by the Director of Academic
g. Educational Development and Evaluation Student Representative

The Educational Development and Evaluation (EDE) Student
Representative advocates students’ interests on issues pertaining to
student and faculty evaluations. Students are elected to a four year term
of service. The activities and responsibilities of the EDE Student
Representative fall within the area covered by the Director of Academic
Interests within the Student Government. The duties of the Student
Representative include but are not limited to: serving as an advisor to the
Office of Educational Development and Evaluation, attending and
preparing for OEDE meetings, facilitating communication between
students and the OEDE staff, attending meetings organized by the
Director of Academic Interests, and preparing reports for Class Meetings.
“The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus
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happy.” – Albert Camus
h. Biomedical Library Student Liaison
The Biomedical Library Student Liaison advocates students’ interests on

issues pertaining to library services and policies. Term of service is one
year; an MSI will be elected in the Fall Interim Elections. The activities
and responsibilities of the Biomedical Library Student Liaison fall within
School of Medicine Student Government. The duties of the Student
Representative include but are not limited to: serving on the Biomedical
Library Advisory Committee, attending and preparing for Biomedical
Library Advisory Committee meetings, facilitating communication
between students and the Biomedical Library staff, attending meetings
organized by the Director of Academic Interests, and preparing reports
for Class Meetings
i. Teaching Award Student Representative

The Teaching Award Student Representative represents students’
interests on issues pertaining to the criteria for and process of selecting
the outstanding faculty for a class. Each year, the first year class (only)
elects a representative to the Kaiser Excellence in Teaching Award
Committee. That person continues as their class Award representative
through their next three years in medical school. Should a
representative be unable to represent their class in a particular year,
another student from that year would be elected. The activities and
responsibilities of the Teaching Award Student Representative fall within
School of Medicine Student Government. The duties of the Student
Representative include but are not limited to: consulting with classmates
to develop criteria for selection, conducting annual vote to choose Kaiser
Award recipient, conducting quarterly vote for the Student Initiated
Teaching Award, announcing Student Initiated Teaching Award winners,
attending meetings organized by the Director of Academic Interests, and
preparing reports for Class Meetings.
2) Community Outreach/Relations Committee Positions

a. Admissions Representative
The Admissions Representative advocates medical students’ interests
regarding issues concerning the UCSD School of Medicine admissions
process and serves as the primary contact for medical students in
matters concerning the admissions process. The upcoming MSII class
elects one student Admissions Representative. The activities and
responsibilities of the Admissions Representative fall within the area
covered by the Director of Community Relations and Outreach within the
UCSD School of Medicine Student Government. The duties of the
Admissions Representative include, but are not limited to: organizing and
leading the meetings of the Admissions Advisory Committee, which
works to improve many aspects of the admissions process, including the
interview period, meeting regularly with the Director of Community
Relations and Outreach to review ideas and plan strategies for
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“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet” – Jean Jacques Rousseau
improvements in the admissions process and/or in the recruitment of
students, and meeting with the Associate Dean of Admissions and the
Directors of Community Relations and Outreach (MSI and MSII) to
present ideas for changes in the admissions process and/or in the
recruitment of students and to follow up with past changes made.
b. Incoming Student Representative

The Incoming Student Rep is responsible for post-acceptance
correspondence with applicants. Term of service is two years; one MSI
and one MSII will simultaneously hold the position and work together.
The activities and responsibilities of the Incoming Student Rep fall within
the area covered by the Director of Social and Fiscal Affairs of student
government, as well as the Admissions Committee. The duties of the
Applicant Outreach Rep include but are not limited to: planning social
events for Second Look weekend, sending out congratulatory letters
after applicants are accepted (which occurs every two weeks after the
admissions committee meets), responding to applicants’ questions about
the school, and/or distributing questions to the proper respondent. The
Applicant Outreach Representative is not a member of the Admissions
Committee, but will have access to the list of accepted interviewees,
which is considered confidential information.
c. Student Health Advisory Committee Student Representative (SHIP)

The Student Health Advisory Committee Student Representative acts as
a liaison between the UCSD Student Health Office and the students of
the medical school. Each class elects one Student Representative to the
Student Health Advisory Committee. The activities and responsibilities of
the Student Health Advisory Committee Student Representative fall
within the area covered by the Director of Social and Fiscal Affairs within
the UCSD School of Medicine Student Government. Student
Representative duties include but are not limited to: serving on the
Student Health Advisory Committee, preparing for and attending Student
Health Advisory Committee meetings, attending meetings organized by
the Director of Social and Fiscal, and preparing reports for Class
Meetings.
d. Student Lounge Committee Student Representative

The Student Lounge Committee Student Representative advocates
student interests concerning the use and maintenance of the student
lounges (Jack Farris on the SOM campus and at the University Hospital
in Hillcrest). MSIs elect one preclinical student in the Fall and MSIIs elect
one clinical student representative in the Spring to the Student Lounge
Committee. The preclinical representative also maintains a working
relationship with Club Med to ensure student input is heard. The
activities and responsibilities of the Student Lounge Committee Student
Representative fall within the area covered by the Director of Social and
Fiscal Affairs within the UCSD School of Medicine Student Government.
Student Representative duties include but are not limited to: serving on
the Student Lounge Committee, preparing for and attending Student
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“Good tests kill flawed theories; we remain alive to guess again.” – Karl Popper
Lounge Committee meetings, attending meetings organized by the
Director of Social and Fiscal Affairs, and preparing reports for Class
Meetings.
3) Professional Interests Committee Positions

a. Alumni Representative
The Alumni Representative will work closely with the office of Medical
Alumni Relations in fostering student-to-alumni contact. The
representative will work with and report to the Director of Professional
Interests, and will submit any pertinent items to the Class Council
agenda through this Director. Duties include, but are not limited to:
assisting the planning and execution of events, such as a ‘student-alumni
mixer’ and ‘alumni career night’, and assisting Student Affairs with the
operation of the Alumni afternoon preceptorship program.
4) Social and Fiscal Affairs Committee Positions

a. Graduate Student Association (GSA) Student Representative
The GSA Student Representative acts as a liaison between the UCSD
campus-wide graduate student government and the medical school.
Each class elects one Student Representative to the GSA. The activities
and responsibilities of the GSA Student Representative fall within the
area covered by the Director of Social and Fiscal Affairs within the UCSD
School of Medicine Student Government. Student Representative duties
include, but are not limited to: serving on the GSA, preparing for and
attending GSA meetings, requesting funds from the GSA for medical
student events, attending meetings organized by the Director of Social
and Fiscal Affairs, and preparing reports for Class Meetings.
b. Social Committee Members

The Social Committee members, along with the Director of Social and
Fiscal Affairs, constitute the School of Medicine Social Committee. The
Social Committee organizes functions, events, and activities that enable
the medical school community to interact in a social environment. Each
class elects a minimum of two students to the Social Committee. The
activities and responsibilities of Social Committee members fall within the
area covered by the Director of Social and Fiscal Affairs within the area
covered by the Director of Social and Fiscal Affairs within the UCSD
School of Medicine Student Government. Duties of social committee
members include, but are not limited to: organizing social functions for
students and medical school community members.
Points of consideration
The Student Government at UCSD SOM is a chance for medical
students to learn leadership like they may have never experienced
before. For many, this is the first arena where they will be interacting with
medical professionals and administrators and discussing, in some cases,
very serious topics regarding student life and the school as a whole. Just
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“The endeavor to understand is the first and only basis of virtue.” – Baruch Spinoza
as exciting is the chance to help improve our school, and help your
colleagues. However, it should be made clear that the Student
Government is a true commitment not to be taken lightly. Every effort
should be made to attend meetings, not only to pass on information to
classmates, but also to represent students in committee meetings, where
student opinion is often highly revered. If you cannot make the meetings,
simply find someone to substitute for you, making sure that they are up
to speed with the agenda of the meeting. By running for a student
representative position, you will be taking on a very challenging and
rewarding responsibility.
MS-I Elections
MS-I Elections are held during the mini-block at the end of the fall
quarter. Interim positions are available early in the fall quarter; these
individuals serve as the Fall Quarter Representatives for their class until
there is ample time for students to meet each other and make an
informed decision during elections later in mini-block. For more
information, a copy of the Student Government Charter that includes a
description of the individual positions (and their responsibilities) is
available online at: <meded.ucsd.edu/e-boards>.
Also, for any questions regarding Student Government at UCSD SOM.

Please contact the Council President of the Class of 2010: Katie White,
k2white@ucsd.edu.
Student Services
The following is a summary of many of the services provided to UCSD
students in and around campus. While for some we include just the
basic information, for others, there are valuable tips that may help you
better use these services. Reading this section may be a good idea even
if you don’t think you need anything right now; it will help you know what
is available when you later need these services.
Health Sciences Financial Aid Office

The Financial Aid Office is located in the Evergreen Building, which is
behind ClubMed. The FinAid office is dedicated to helping health
science students find the best solution to financial needs they encounter
while attending school. Eligibility for financial aid is based on need and
requires the submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) along with UCSD´s application and tax returns of the student
and parents (if applicable). The usual deadline for FAFSA is April 1st,
while the deadline for UCSD FinAid packet is mid-April.
The Financial Aid Office also provides some merit-based scholarships

and maintains a listing of outside scholarship opportunities. Check out
their website <http://meded.ucsd.edu/asa/financial_aid/>.
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“Stretching his hand up to reach the stars, too often man forgets the flowers at his feet.” – Jeremy
Bentham
UCSD Health Sciences Financial Aid Office
9500 Gilman Dr. #0730
Hours: 8:00am – 4:30pm
TELEPHONE: (858) 534-4664
FAX: (858) 534-1513
somfinaid@ucsd.edu
Computing - EdCom
The Educational Computing Office is located on the second floor of the
MTF (Rm. 265). The computers can be used for the usual: checking e-
mail, typing papers, surfing the web, and using medical software for
classes like histology and neurology. They have PC’s, CD-ROM’s, Zip
drives, VCRs and a variety of A-V equipment. All computers have full
internet access. The EdCom also has various study aids to help
supplement what you are learning in class, such as topic-specific CD-
ROMS, audiotapes, videotapes, microfiche, slides and multimedia
programs. They also offer classes and individual instruction to help you
with your computing needs. You will receive a $25 copy credit card
applied to your UCSD student ID at the beginning of your 1st year which
is good for 250 copies and then must be recharged (with your own
money). Printing was free in the past, but rampant abuse of the privilege
forced the SOM to move to a 3rd party printing provider which charges
10 cents per page.
Educational Computing Office

LOCATION: UCSD School of Medicine
265 Medical Teaching Facility
TELEPHONE: (858) 534-4123
FAX: (858) 534-1411
The EdCom Web-page:
http://meded.ucsd.edu/edcom/
SCHOOL YEAR HOURS:

Monday - Friday: 7:30 am - 8:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday: closed
SUMMER HOURS (mid-June thru mid-Sept):

Monday-Friday: 7:30 am - 7:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
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“Quoting: the act of repeating erroneously the words of another.” – Ambrose Bierce
Rooms
If you would like to reserve a room for a meeting or event, contact the
EdCom staff, somrooms@ucsd.edu, (858) 822-574, or visit the website:
http://av-rooms.ucsd.edu.
Student Affairs Office

If you haven’t figured out already, the importance of the Office of Student
Affairs (OSA) in our life is beyond description. Our OSA consists of
Student Life and Registrar, where you will find all of your friendly
advisors and mentors. The Student Life unit creates a positive and
entertaining learning environment for the medical students. Furthermore,
they support all of the student-run activities and social events. There’s
an “open-door” policy for everyone in the OSA, so don’t feel shy about
popping your head in to chat or to get some munchies for an energy
boost.
Duplicating Services
Several duplicating services are available on campus. Photocopiers are
available at the libraries on campus as well as at Imprints in the Price
Center. The closest photocopiers to the medical school are in the
Biomedical Library.
http://imprints.ucsd.edu
Hours: Mon-Fri. 8:00am-4:30pm (at Price Center)
University Center Quick Copy, Bldg # 201 (858) 534-7050
Check Cashing
The Cashier’s Office, located in the Student Services Building, will cash
personal checks up to $50 for a $0.25 charge. Students can also cash
checks at the Bookstore. A student I.D. with a valid fee sticker must be
presented for all check cashing.
Post Office
Mail Services is located in the Campus Services Complex (CSC),
Building A. Mail Services provides service to the main campus and all off
campus locations with one to four times a day delivery and pickup of
mail. The Student Mail Services is also located in CSC, Bldg. A.
A US Neighborhood Post Office is located in the Price Center, Room

242. There are also many close-by, off-campus USPS Postal Offices as
well, including one in the Costa Verde Shopping Center (3298 Governor
Dr.) and one near Ralph’s/Trader Joe’s (8837 Villa La Jolla Dr).
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“Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash.” – Gen. G.S. Patton
Community Service Officer Program and Escort Service

Community Service Officers (CSO) Program offers a free safety escort
service to all students, faculty, staff and visitors. Escorts are available
365 days a year (including holidays and breaks) from 5:00pm until dawn.
Escorts will go to any university property within the vicinity, including
Mesa and Coast apartments, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and the
Torrey Pines centers. Most escorts walk, but there is a vehicle for
students who are mobility impaired or for some far distances. Students
can arrange for an escort well in advance or call when they are needed
(plan for a 5-10 minute wait for the escort to reach the pick up location).
E.D.N.A. (Student Info Center)

EDNA is located in the Price Center Theater, near the post office and
Burger King. EDNA provides information on services that benefit
students, faculty, and the community, including room reservation
information and student telephone directory information. If the EDNA
staff cannot answer a question, they will refer the caller to the proper
person or agency.
Housing (University Owned)

If you want to live someplace that is University-owned, you have five
options: La Jolla del Sol, Mesa, Coast, One Miramar, and Single
Graduate Apartments. There can be a one to two-year waitlist for del Sol,
Mesa, and Coast Apartments. The Single Graduate Apartments and
Miramar are easier to get into for the fall if you apply before the summer.
Housing applications will be accepted only from students who have been
formally admitted to UCSD. Bring a copy of the confirmation letter the
admissions office sends to you after you commit to UCSD. If you are
claiming married or family status, copies of marriage certificates, and
birth certificates for each child are also required. While you are on a
housing waitlist you need to make sure to mail back the “update cards”
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Be self-reliant and your success is assured.
that are mailed in March and October or fill them out online. If your
update is NOT returned, your name will be dropped from the
housing list. It is your responsibility to contact the housing office if your
address or phone number changes. It is especially important that they
have a working phone number for you because offers for housing are
made by telephone. Check out the housing website for more
information: http://hdsu.ucsd.edu/hsgaffil/affhome.htm.
(858) 824-0850
Roommate list
If you are interested in being on a list that graduate student residents use
to choose a roommate, then you should go to the housing office of the
complex of interest. For example, if you want to move into Mesa, then
you can put yourself on the Mesa Roommate List by going to the Mesa
Apartment Office (in the Mesa Apartments Complex). This is a great
way to significantly shorten your housing wait time; if you move in with
someone who is living at Mesa, then when this person moves out (and
assuming you have lived there more than six months) you will become
the primary lease holder. This means that you can now choose a
roommate to move in with you.
Off-campus Housing
Off-Campus Housing is a rental referral and housing information
resource center for students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the University of
California. This office receives and maintains up-to-date available rentals
from people in the community within the areas surrounding campus.
Registered students can access the listings at the web site:
<offcampushousing.ucsd.edu> & through StudentLink at:
<studentlink.ucsd.edu> You will need your student ID number to access
lists on the off-campus housing site. Off-Campus Housing is located in
the old student center. Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-4:30pm, (858) 534-3670.
Legal services
The Office of Student Legal Services is located in the Student Services
Building. An attorney will advise students on all types of legal problems,
such as domestic, landlord/tenant, wills, contracts, personal injury,
criminal, traffic, insurance, and even information regarding the “Good
Samaritan Law.” Call them to make an appointment for a consultation.
Appointments can be made from 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on weekdays (534-
4374). On weekends and at night, the Campus EDNA Office will refer
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“The doctors X-rayed my head and found nothing.” – Dizzy Dean, explaining how he felt after
being hit on the head by a ball in the 1934 World Series
legal emergencies to the legal services office for immediate help. Of
special note to medical students: most violations charged against
medical students will not impede their getting licensed later on.
UCSD Student Legal Services

9500 Gilman Drive, 0329
(858) 534- 4374
www.sls.ucsd.edu
Religious matters
There is an active Religious Affairs Office that maintains liaison with
representatives of just about every conceivable spiritual denomination.
They are located behind the Price Center by the police station.
Religious Affairs Office

Hours: Mon-Thurs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fri 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
(858) 534-2521
Student co-ops
Several co-op facilities run by students offer a variety of services at
reasonable prices. These include the Food Co-op (858) 546-8339,
Groundwork Books (858) 452-9625, General Store (858) 534-3932, and
a Computer Science Co-op located in the Old Student Center. Other co-
ops include the Farm Co-op, and the Recycle Co-op (glass and
aluminum only) located southeast of the Geisel Library.
Healthcare
Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
The Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is a comprehensive health
insurance plan available to all medical students. This plan includes a
Preferred Provider Network. Written referral from a primary care SHS
provider is required. Enrollment in SHIP is mandatory for graduate,
medical, and foreign students unless proof of other healthcare is
demonstrated. If this applies to you, ask for a waiver at the OSA or
download the waiver from www.studentlink.ucsd.edu. Waiver of SHIP
enrollment requires approval of the SHS Insurance Representative after
review of proof of existing comparable insurance.
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“If life was fair, Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead.” – Johnny Carson
SHIP premiums are assessed and paid with registration fees. Spring
SHIP coverage continues automatically through the summer. Students
enrolled in SHIP also benefit from discounts on any services provided by
the SHS Optometry Clinic. This includes exams, glasses, lenses,
sunglasses, and sports eyewear. Eye exams are $16. Brand name
prescription copay will be $25.00 per prescription (each refill also).
Prices might have changed since we last checked.*
Warning for students who are married, cohabitating and/or have children:
it is expensive ($730* per quarter) to enroll your significant other or
child(ren) ($435* per quarter) onto SHIP. Unfortunately, advice from the
insurance representative regarding finding a health plan for family is,
“Look elsewhere for a reasonably priced plan”. Some UCSD and CA
state resources for families are available at the insurance office.
Brochures describing SHIP, SHS referral requirements, and policy

limitations and exclusions are available at Student Health Services. The
insurance representative at the SHIP office in Building 959 (across from
the Gilman parking structure) is available for consultation and questions
Monday - Thursday 8:00pm to 4:30pm, except Wednesdays, 9:00 am -
4:30 pm (closed 12:00 – 1:00 all days) or you can reach them at: (858)
534-2123 or 1-800-468-4343 for information. The website
http://www.renaissance-inc.com is also a useful source of information
about SHIP. *Be sure to check <studenthealth.ucsd.edu> for updated info. All
prices/copays/ percentages subject to change at SHIP discretion.
Student Health Services (SHS)

Located smack in the middle of campus in front of the Geisel Library,
SHS provides comprehensive primary health care at low or no cost. The
easiest way to get to the SHS building is to walk from campus to
Mandeville Lane off of Gilman Drive. When you get toward the end of
the street and look ahead to the right, you will see the SHS building. If
you are not severely ill or in pain, it is probably easiest to walk from
campus as there is limited parking near SHS. Hours are 8:00am to
4:30pm, Monday through Friday, except Wednesdays when the docs
arrive at 9:00am. During quarter breaks and the summer session, SHS is
closed for a 12:00pm-1:00pm siesta. An online appointment function
and prescription refill function have recently been added to their website.
Bring your checkbook and a photo ID or a credit card (must be signed on
the back, no “see ID” allowed) to pay for copays etc. A list of salient
phone numbers:
Emergency: 911
Information: (858) 534-3300
Appointments: (858) 534-8089
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“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein
Cancellations: (858) 534-1770
Woman’s Clinic:(858) 534-2669
Health Education: (858) 534-2419
Pharmacy: (858) 534-2135
Insurance: (858) 534-2123
Vision Clinic: (858) 534-2602
Administration: (858) 534-6834
Medical Records: (858) 534-2139
Psychological: (858) 534-3755
Email: studenthealth@ucsd.edu
Web Page: ucsd.edu/shs
Women’s Clinic
The Student Health Services women’s clinic provides a complete range
of gynecological services including annual exams, pap smears, birth
control, STD treatment, pregnancy testing and counseling.
Travel Clinic
The international travel clinic can help you protect your health before,
during and after foreign travel. Travel consultation with medical
professionals is included, but you need to schedule your first visit six to
eight weeks before your departure. However, if you need emergency
care 100 miles outside of the Student Health Services or abroad, you will
need to pay for your emergency room visit upfront and then file a claim
with the insurance company upon return. Therefore, it is important to
have a credit card or access to a significant amount of cash when you
travel. It is also a must to take your insurance information with you when
you travel, so that if an expensive medical situation that you cannot
handle financially occurs, you can contact your insurance company and
have arrangements made to pay for your services. Generally, the
reimbursement rate will be 90% or 80%. There will be 100%
reimbursement, after any applicable deductibles, if you need to go to the
hospital emergency room for an accident or medical emergency.
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“Each life makes its own imitation of immortality.” – Stephen King
Counseling and Psychological Services
If you are seeking psychiatric or counseling help, make sure to read the
SOS!!! Section of this guide first! At Psychological and Counseling
Services, a staff of psychologists, a social worker, and a consulting
psychiatrist provides assistance to students who may be experiencing
academic, psychological, marital, family or vocational problems. Groups
focusing on issues such as stress management, test taking anxiety,
sexuality, procrastination, ethnicity, assertiveness, and social skills
building are formed throughout the year. Up to eight visits with the
exception of specialized testing are available at no charge to students
who have paid their student registration fees (and all visits are
confidential.)
The Central Office is located at 190 Galbraith Hall. For further details or
to make an appointment, call (858) 534-3755 or view the web site at
http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/psychserv/
Emergencies
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, put this guide down
and dial 911 on the nearest phone. Otherwise, if you are on the La Jolla
campus and have SHIP, then go to Thornton Hospital (from Genesee
Avenue, take Voigt Drive and follow the signs).
Dentistry
Plan on seeing a dentist in the San Diego area on a regular basis now
that you attend UCSD — do you really want to drive back to Eureka to
get your teeth cleaned? Keep in mind that when seeing a dentist for the
first time you must get a complete exam by the dentist before you can
have a cleaning. Be sure to make your dental appointment at least one
month in advance to assure there is space for you.
It is also a very good idea to read the SHIP brochure on dental coverage.
The health insurance section states that cleanings are covered once
every six months, and x-rays are covered once every 6 months. The plan
pays 80% for prophylactic services (exams and cleaning only: this is a
dental plan) and only 50% for fillings and surgery. Since one filling can
cost about $150-250, and since you will pay 50%, it is a smart and thrifty
idea to stay on top of your cleanings (and flossing, and brushing) so that
you don’t need to get any fillings. There is a $50 dental deductible.
You can go to any dentist (in or out of San Diego) and SHIP will cover it,
“You will NEVER be done learning.”

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but if the dentist won’t submit the claim, you will have to pay for dental
services and submit the claim yourself. Regardless of who submits the
claim form, there is a limit of 90 days to file the claim. If you go to the
Student Health Service web page <http://www.ucsd.edu/shs>, there is a
link to the SHIP page where you can download the claim form and mail it
in. If your dentist does submit the claim for you, you should call SHIP
about two weeks after your appointment to make sure that SHIP
received and is processing your claim. It normally takes about four
months to be reimbursed. Some dentists do offer a discount when you
pay the bill at the time of service so you may want to ask about it; it might
save you some up front cost while you’re waiting to be reimbursed.
Recreation
<http://recreation.ucsd.edu>
UCSD has 3 athletic facilities: RIMAC, Canyon View, and the Main Gym.
Recreation privileges for the school year are included in the price of your
registration fees, but during the summer you will have to pay about $90
to use the facilities. Be sure to bring your student ID for access into
these facilities. They will swipe your card to confirm that you’ve paid
your registration fees. A word of caution: do not borrow someone’s ID to
get into any of the gyms - this carries a stiff penalty.
RIMAC
RIMAC (534-4037) is not a leftover hamburger. But if you eat too many
of those, you might want to visit the giant state-of-the-art athletic facility
on campus, just north of Geisel Library. The 180,000 square foot building
offers many recreational opportunities; including racquetball, squash,
“Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.” – Murphy’s Laws
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weight training, dance, basketball, volleyball, and badminton. There are
also multipurpose workout rooms for aerobics and martial arts and a big
arena for special events. Be sure to bring a towel with you every time
you go to use the weight room. Be prepared to attend an orientation tour
abd sign an online waiver the first time you go.
Canyon View
Canyon View is a smaller athletic facility. It is open fewer hours than
RIMAC and is less spacious. On the other hand, it’s convenient for
those who live in the Warren Single Graduate Apartments. The weight
room is less crowded than RIMAC’s, there are two Olympic sized pools,
and it has a climbing wall.
Main Gym
Main Gym is a good-sized recreation facility, but it is older than RIMAC.
It is located on campus near North Torrey Pine Road and La Jolla
Shores, which makes it an easy walk from the SOM campus during a 2
hour lunch. There is also an Olympic-sized swimming pool (the Nat),
aerobics rooms, and tennis courts located adjacent to the gym. You may
have to sign an online waiver your first time.
Intramurals (IMs)
If you enjoyed doing sports in high school or undergrad and want to
continue, then intramurals are a great way to stay involved in team
sports, as well as to get to know your fellow medical students better!
There is a large intramural program at UCSD that offers a wide variety of
sports each quarter. Basketball, soccer, softball, football, volleyball,
tennis, ultimate Frisbee, inner tube water polo, and floor hockey are a
few. The SOM has a strong tradition in innertube water polo, basketball,
volleyball, and soccer, so the bar has been set! Also look for some
pickup hoops games on the Mesa or Warren courts, or just in the gym.
To find out the details on how to sign-up a team, you should pick up a
UCSD Recreation magazine, which is published quarterly. The cost is
about $45 per team. The Recreation magazine is also useful if you are
interested in taking dance lessons, swimming lessons, or going on an
“outback adventure”, as it contains every piece of information you need
to know to plan your recreation activities. Many copies are always
available at RIMAC or you can find the information online at
www.recreation.ucsd.edu.
“So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being.” – Franz
Kafka
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Rec Classes and Master Training Programs
Ever want to learn how to swim, surf, or scuba dive? Underwater basket
weaving? Yoga, Latin dance, ballroom dancing or hip-hop? Ever want to
learn how to weight lift the right way and get totally cut, or even join
some sports clubs? How about some martial arts like kendo, aikido, judo
or karate…even krav maga? A Rec class or Masters sports team is a
great way to keep fit and active! Find the schedule online at
www.recreation.ucsd.edu. Sign up at RIMAC, online, or via mail
(apparently people still do that).
Mission Bay Aquatic Center

Mission Bay Aquatic Center is located on Mission Bay (go east on Santa
Clara Place off of Mission Boulevard). They offer a variety of classes in
aquatic sports, such as rowing, water skiing, sailing, kayaking, and
surfing! You can take classes there and rent equipment for reasonable
fees. Informative brochures can be found at RIMAC or you can give them
a call at (858) 488-9625. Though not part of the official activities there,
MBAC is a great place to base rollerblading trips around PB and Mission
Bay. Check out recreation.ucsd.edu/mbac.html for more information.
Outback Adventures
Outback Adventures, (858) 534-0684, rents out all sorts of outdoor
equipment for the camper, hiker, kayaker, skier, and rock climber within
you yearning to be free. They rent out virtually everything you might need
for outdoor sports or camping. The equipment is decent, and you can’t
ask for better rental prices. For example, skis go for about $20/wk.
Catalogs of available equipment and prices can be found in the UCSD
Recreation magazine available on campus or at RIMAC. Or, find prices
and information on the web at http://recreation.ucsd.edu/outback.html.
Surfing
So you have finally made it to sunny San Diego, land of the surfer. Being
that you are here, and will be here for a good 4+ years, you start
thinking…I should learn to surf, too! There is plenty of time to learn, and
for those of you veterans, there is plenty of time to get your fill, despite
the rigors of med school. It makes the most sense to split this section up
into information for those that are just getting started and then also for
the seasoned surfers that likely came to UCSD for the waves.
** If you surf, like to travel, and believe in karma, make sure to

subscribe to the Surfers without Borders email list! (email Christian
Welch, MSIII cswelch@ucsd.edu if you miss the table during first week of
classes) This UCSD SOM club has raised money for SurfAid via learn to
surf events and swim-a-thons, and has quarterly lecture series on surf-
travel-fundraising-related happenings/opportunities. **
“Don’t put your life on hold for medical school. Med school is like a good training for juggling your
future career and personal life.”
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I. Surfing for Beginners:
A. Best beaches to learn:
Some places are naturally better suited to learning the art of surfing. For
the benefit of those more seasoned in the sport, as well as your own
benefit and personal safety, it is a REALLY good idea if you stick to
these areas until you know that you have what it takes to venture to the
more exciting breaks.
Some great places to start are:
1. La Jolla Shores (right down the hill from school) - A stone's thrown
from UCSD's campus, La Jolla Shores is blessed with
inviting, gentle tumblers that are kind to beginner surfers. There
are surfboard and wetsuit rental stores up the street (on Avenida de la
Playa).
2.Tourmaline in Pacific Beach (at the end of Tourmaline street in north
PB)
3. Del Mar: There are countless peaks scattered between 4th and15th
streets, that allow gentle entry and long rides to refine your ocean
posturing.
B. When/how to buy your own board

Don’t spend all of your loan money on new gear and think that you’re
gonna start ripping. Borrow other people’s stuff or rent a board until you
know you really like it. When you are ready to buy a board, be aware of
the three major materials surfboards are made of, in order of best for
beginners to best for more advanced surfers:
1. FOAM: Foam boards or soft-top boards are great for learning. As the
name implies, they are made of a softer material than traditional boards.
This is good for beginners for several reasons: 1) they don’t hurt as
much when you run over others/yourself, 2) they are harder to destroy,
and 3) they are generally easier to learn on.
2. EPOXY: Epoxy boards are fun for beginners as they are a) lighter and
b) floaty-er than fiberglass boards, making them easier to carry and ride.
They also are much more difficult to ding, so you can drop it a few times
and it should hold up okay.
3. FIBERGLASS: these are the traditional surfboards. They are heavy
and expensive, and if you drop them, they will ding. Considering you are
a beginner and need a longer board, this is probably not a good bet.
When you’re sure you are ready to buy a board, CHECK COSTCO
FIRST. Costco sold amazing, fun foam boards this year for a steal at
$99. If Costco isn’t selling foam boards, then check Craigslist/local surf
shops (see “Surf Shops” section below) for foam boards. If you have
your heart set on a traditional board (epoxy or fiberglass), then bring
someone experienced with you, if possible. Used boards are the way to
go, as long as you look from head to tail and inspect for insults from
waves past. Any accredited surf shop has a used board section. If a
board seems too good (i.e. cheap) to be true, it probably is. Buying a
used glass board off of Craigslist can be a gamble, as many of these are
very dinged and need major repairs (time consuming and pricey).
“And slowly I’ve come to realize it’s all as it should be.” – David Sylvian
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If you do ding your board, ding repair kits can be bought for under $20,
or if you don't feel comfortable with your carpentry, make a trip to Joe
Roper's, the best ding repair shop in town (1460 Morena Blvd. in San
Diego, CA).
Length: Look for a board 2-3 feet taller than you. Girls, 8’ boards are
generally good. Guys, 9’.
C. Buying a wetsuit
The best locale to buy wetsuits is the Trestles Surf Outlet in San
Clemente. While it is a half hour drive from UCSD, it is well worth it as
they have brand new wetsuits at half the price. How do they do it? It is
Rip Curl owned and operated, and it is the place they send their surplus
suits from the year before. So, you may be a year outdated in the water,
but your wallet will say Mahalo. As for fit, your wetsuit needs to be snug
when it is dry, because it will loosen up when you get wet. Most
importantly ask questions at the shop and you’ll figure out the rest. I
mean shoot, you made it to med school didn’t you?
D. Basic Surf Etiquette/Safety

The best way to learn safety/etiquette is to go out with someone who
knows what they are doing. Here are some basic safety tips for yourself:
1. Always keep your board nose first on the side of you when waves are
approaching (never put it sideways in front of your body, as a wave can
slam it into you)
2. Always come up from under water with your arms in front of your face
(this may save you from a black eye if your board swings around and hits
you)
3. Stay away from beaches that seem more advanced, and try to stay
away from crowds. Most importantly, don’t go beyond your comfort level.
Surf Etiquette: an insidious yet ingrained code that becomes second-

nature through experience. The central dogma is to NEVER PADDLE
FOR A WAVE THAT SOMEONE ELSE IS ALREADY ON. Sounds
simple, but can get muddy when in the field of play. As a beginner, it is
essential to observe and always give the right of way until you have a
firm grasp on the intricacies of the Surfer Code. Be respectful of locals,
especially the old guys, as some beaches can be more territorial than
others (avoid Windansea in La Jolla).
E. Best local surf shops

1. Surf Ride in Solana Beach (north of Del Mar) has a massive collection
of surf gear and apparel.
2. Hansen’s in Encinitas (north of Solana Beach) – another mega store
3. Mitch’s (La Jolla and Solana Beach) – smaller selection/more pricey
as is a local store
“Where is the lesion?”Mark Kritchevsky, MD

131
II. San Diego Surfing for Seasoned Shredders
There are plenty of waves here in San Diego and some of the best are
right around school. Winters are pretty solid down here, lots of Northwest
swell and some of the Santa Anas make for epic surf. It doesn’t get that
cold but a 4/3 is worthwhile. Summers are pretty bleak for the most part,
but you do get an occasional mind-blowing
south Pacific swell. Spring is sort of a mix of the two. There are plenty of
reefs and beachbreaks that will optimize any swell or combo, so start
doing your research.
Social Life
Believe it or not, the basic sciences and the biomedical library do not
provide all the kicks a student needs. Luckily, San Diego offers a variety
of locales to keep most people entertained. Don't forget to enjoy San
Diego's biannual Restaurant Week, when the top restaurants in the area
feature fixed menus priced at $30 and $40 for three courses. Enjoy!
San Diego Neighborhoods

La Jolla
Downtown La Jolla is beautiful in the day and evening, but virtually
comatose at night. Shops are exquisite and expensive, but all of them
close by 7 p.m. Retail stores include Banana Republic, Express,
Sunglass Hut, Nicole Miller, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Restaurants are
equally pricey (but don’t miss Sushi on the Rock). Many of these
restaurants overlook La Jolla Cove, which make them ideal places for
you to impress your main squeeze. However, more wallet-friendly
establishments do exist, such as Karl Strauss, Hard Rock Café,
Alfonso’s.
Del Mar & Solana Beach

Del Mar is a quiet and upscale beach town bordering La Jolla to the
north. Shops and restaurants are concentrated along Camino del Mar,
near the intersection of 15th Street. From this street corner, one can
access the beach, a shopping and restaurant plaza, and a row of
storefront displays perfect for window-shopping. North of Del Mar,
Solana Beach is another beach community with an artsy feel. Cedros
Avenue in Solana Beach is lined with independent art and antique shops.
Pacific Beach
The full Pacific Beach experience correlates well with a famous saying
about the 1960s: if you can remember it, you weren’t there. Garnet
Avenue hosts numerous bars that cater primarily to impoverished,
undergraduate college students from UCSD and SDSU (especially on
Thursday nights). At bars like Longboards Bar & Grill, The Tavern,
Down Under, Second Wind, Plum Crazy, PB Bar & Grill, PlanB, and
Moondoggie’s, casual attire, copious alcohol, and drunken
communications students abound. PB Bar and Grill and Moondoggies
merit priority for their expansive outdoor patios.
“Everything starts somewhere, although many physicists disagree.” – Terry Pratchett
132
Hillcrest
Hillcrest is certainly the alternative choice for nights out on the town. This
part of San Diego offers the best restaurants at the best prices and
atmospheres. It is a safe neighborhood to walk around day and night and
check out the wacky shops on University. This area is peppered with
coffee shops and restaurants. If for nothing else, Hillcrest deserves a
mention for its sushi restaurants, most notably Ono Sushi and Nami. See
the “Restaurants” section for other great eatery listings. It’s a good idea
to get acquainted with the Hillcrest area, as you’ll be spending a lot of
time here in third and fourth year; it’s the home of the “U” (UCSD
Hospital) and Balboa Naval Hospital.
The Gaslamp
This charming area of downtown San Diego was named so because of
the traditional gas-lit lamps that still decorate the streets. It
encompasses 12 square blocks of densely packed establishments,
bounded by 4th St, 7th St, Broadway, and Market. The Gaslamp (as
most people affectionately call it) has no shortage of sidewalk dining at
restaurants offering sushi, Continental (e.g. Croce’s), French (e.g. La
Provence), and Middle Eastern cuisine (e.g. Bandar). However,
traditional, family-owned Italian restaurants dominate the landscape.
Bars and clubs are just as variegated as the restaurants. Maloney’s and
Buffalo Joe’s offer casual, middle-class Americana entertainment, while
The Bitter End takes this same theme to more elegant levels (get there
before 10pm to avoid a horrendous line and dress slightly upscale to be
able to enjoy the upstairs bar). The Ivy, Hard Rock, On Broadway, etc
offer elegant clubs with dance music.
A trip to the Gaslamp district need not include a bar, club, or restaurant.
Most patrons are content simply walking the streets, enjoying the
crowds, and sitting down for a relaxing cup of coffee (Café Bassam is
ideal, Fumari a close second). Of course, if you’re a baseball fan, you’ll
have to check the newly opened Petco Park, home of the SD Padres.
Contraindications to frequenting the Downtown area include horrendous
parking. Arrive earlier in the evening for free street parking, or carpool
and pay $5-$20 in lots. Another option is parking at the Horton Plaza
mall, which has free parking for a couple hours with validation (i.e. buy a
cup of coffee at the Starbucks). For baseball games, park at the Old
Town Trolley Station and take the trolley ($2.50 for a round trip ticket).
Convoy Street
San Diego doesn’t have a dedicated Chinatown, but Convoy Street is the
most popular hangout for Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc.
On Convoy, there are plenty of great food, karaoke, trendy Asian-interest
nightclubs, and late night ramen and boba shops. Check out Tajima for
midnight ramen; stop by TapEx, Green Tea House, or Tea-N-More for
nearly 24 hour boba; Or try Min Shok Chon for a great Korean bar.
“Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” - Aristotle

133
Restaurants
These restaurants have been recommended by medical students and
the reviews are being collected over a few years, even though they may
seem short and some rather incomplete. The restaurants are grouped
according to the type of food, and are rated by their cost, ranging from
cheap eats “$” (<$10/entry) to more expensive establishments “$$$$”
(~$40/person). Enjoy!
American
Bud’s Louisiana Food Shoppe $
2034 Kettner Blvd., #12 (619) 239-4210
Have a craving for crawfish? Then Bud’s Louisiana Food Shoppe is
where you want to be. This restaurant also makes nearly every type of
fried or blackened seafood imaginable. Both the prices and portions are
reasonable.
The Cheese Shop $

2165 Avenida De La Playa (858) 459-3921
Serving sandwiches in a deli-fashion. They have all kinds of choices and
a great selection of cheeses. As everything’s delicious, it makes this
restaurant a great stop for lunch before heading down to La Jolla Shores
beach.
The Burger Lounge $$

1101 Wall Street (La Jolla) (858) 456-0196
Delicious organic beef/turkey/vegetarian burgers and fresh fries. A cool,
classy burger joint!
The Coffee Cup $$

1109 Wall Street (La Jolla) (858) 551-8514
Next door to The Burger Lounge, the Coffee Cup has delicious breakfast
and lunch. Great salads and lots of vegetarian options.
Croutons $
8707 Villa La Jolla Dr. #2B (858) 909-0960
A salad, sandwich, soup restaurant ideal for healthy eating. They have
pretty fresh salads and good combos. If you present UCSD ID, there’s a
discount.
George’s at the Cove $$$$

1250 Prospect St (858) 454-4244
George’s is a really up-scale restaurant with amazing view of the ocean.
The drawback, of course, is that it is extremely expensive.
Hodad’s $
5010 Newport Ave, Ocean Beach (619) 224-4623
Hodad’s is popular for great burgers. Both the atmosphere and service is
good, but the line is long and the wait for food is lengthy as well. But all
is worth it for their yummy, huge burgers and fries.
“Pretending that we live doesn't make us alive.” – Serj Tankian
134
Lamont Street Grill $$$$
4445 Lamont St (858) 270-3060
Lamont Street Grill is a nice restaurant in Pacific Beach that is classy
enough for a date. The online reviews are saying great things and rating
this restaurant high.
Phil’s BBQ $$
3750 Sports Arena Blvd (619) 688-0559
A MUST while in San Diego! Phil’s has awesome ribs and good BBQ in
general. But the establishment is crowded and the wait is hectic and
long, so it’s better to consider phoning in the order and take-out.
Rocky’s Crown Pub $$

3786 Ingraham St. (858) 273-9140
Famous for their burgers, Rocky’s is a favorite of San Diego natives.
Their meat patties are huge!
Chinese
168 Restaurant $
7330 Clairemont Mesa Blvd (858) 268-1168
168 is located inside 99 Ranch Market, and serve Taiwanese cuisine and
the typical Taiwan snacks such as oyster pancake and stinky tofu. The
service is fast and the restaurant is open until mid-night.
Mandarin House $$
6765 La Jolla Blvd (858) 454-2555
Reminds us of 1970s nostalgic American Chinese – think “A Christmas
Story” when they go to get Chinese turkey. Food is delicious and fresh
though.
Hong Kong Restaurant $

th
3871 4 Avenue (Hillcrest/DT) (619) 291-9449
Decent Chinese restaurant – with the added bonus of being open until
2:30 AM on weekdays and weekends!
China Max $$
4698 Convoy Street (858) 650-3333
China Max has superior dim-sum and Cantonese cuisine in San Diego in
general. The dim-sum is not pushed on a cart but order from the menu,
which ensures its freshness and contributes to why it is the best in the
area. Although a little expensive, the authentic food is definitely worth its
price.
Emerald Restaurant $$
3709 Convoy Street, Ste 101 (858) 565-6888
Emerald has a big selection of dishes for dim-sum, and it is served on
the typical pushing cart. Their Cantonese cuisine is also quite authentic
“Don’t you know the first law of physics? Anything that's fun costs at least eight dollars." – Eric
Cartman
135
as well. In addition, their Peking duck is served the same way that you’d
get in China. The only major drawback to the restaurant is its parking.
Sam Woo BBQ $

Sam Woo is also located inside 99 Ranch Market. It is extremely cheap
for the yummy food you get. Most people get their take-out because it is
fast and the quantity is huge, you can still dine-in although the
establishment looks a little on the dirty side. Sam Woo is famous for its
BBQ pork.
French
Cafe Chloe $$$
721 9th Ave #1 (619) 232-3242
The nicely decorated French Café serves good, light meals. The
portions are small while the bill is not.
Marine Room $$$$

2000 Spindrift Dr (858) 459-7222
Contemporary gourmet French food overlooking the ocean makes this
restaurant a great place to take out a date if not worried about your
wallet. Both the food and the view are well worth the price.
Maitre’D $$$$
5523 La Jolla Blvd (858) 456-2111
Rumor has it that one of the chefs here worked for European royalty.
Traditional French and Pacific Rim cuisine.
Laurel Restaurant and Bar $$$$

505 Laurel Street (619) 239-2222
Amazing French and Mediterranean food if you can afford the price.
Multiple award-winning restaurant!
Greek/Moroccan
Apollonia $$$
8650 Genesee Ave Ste 106 (619) 455-1535
Although the service lacks a little, Aesop’s offers good Greek cuisine at a
decent price. The restaurant’s decorations are also nice.
Café Athena $$
1846 Garnet Ave. (858) 274-1140
Arguably the best Greek in San Diego, Café Athena is an excellent
restaurant serving great food. The service is friendly and prices are
reasonable. Athena’s is a sister joint of Apollonia, but Athena’s is better.
“We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done.” – Alan
Turing
136
Marrakesh $$$
634 Pearl St (858) 454-2500
This Moroccan restaurant in La Jolla is very beautiful inside and they
have colorful fabric everywhere. If you go for dinner, you might get belly
dancers too. Unfortunately, the food isn’t so great.
Indian
Bombay $$$
3960 5th Ave (619) 298-3155
The newer location of Bombay takes the restaurant up a notch in terms
of décor. It still has the same yummy food for the same price. The only
drawback is the service, though.
Punjabi Tandoor $
9235 Activity Rd (858) 695-0956
A hole-in-the wall place in the midst of an industrial area, this restaurant
serves surprisingly good cuisine. No frills, but definitely tasty.
Italian
Mamma Mia $$
1932 Balboa Ave. (858) 272-2702
Run by Italians, don't be surprised if you are kissed at the door! Food is
great quality, restaurant is a converted houses with a fun atmosphere.
Il Fornaio $$$
1555 Camino Del Mar (619) 437-4911
Il Fornaio is an upscale Italian restaurant overlooking the beach with an
excellent bakery. They really have fresh bread and the best Italian food.
Parioli’s Italian Bistro $$$

647 South Hwy 101 (858) 755-2525
Parioli’s has typical yet awesome Italian dishes. Its Sicilian owners like
to play jazz and world music and they even have live jazz on the
weekends.
Rafaela’s $$
5119 Cass St (858) 272-0466
Inexpensive Italian food served in the outdoor patio of a converted
house. Bring your own wine or beer; there’s no corking fee.
Trattoria Acqua $$$

1298 Prospect St. (858) 454-0709
Great Italian food doesn’t come cheap in this $30-40 per-meal
Mediterranean style romantic dining spot that kisses the ocean near La
Jolla Cove.
“Is the chemical aftertaste the reason why people eat hot dogs, or is it some kind of bonus?” – Neil
Gaiman
137
Café Milano $$$
711 Pearl Street (La Jolla) (858) 454-3806
Chef Pasquale makes everything himself at this amazing restaurant. He
ran a restaurant in NYC’s Little Italy for years, and now we are blessed
with his talents. Try the meatballs. Delicious!
Korean
Convoy Tofu House $$
4229 Convoy St (858)279-3430
This Korean tofu restaurant is probably the best one in the area. They
offer mostly tofu stew pots, in addition to other typical Korean dishes
such as bulgogi (thin grilled beef), bibimbap (mixed vegetables on rice),
ddeokbokki (spicy chewy rice cake).
Korea House $$$

4620 Convoy St Ste A (858) 560-0080
Korea House has Korean BBQ, where you kneel in front of a table and
grill the meat yourself, which is quite fun. Although on the more
expensive side, they also serve the typical Korean dishes.
Sushi/Japanese
Tajima Japanese Noodle House $-$$
4681 Convoy Street (858) 576-7244
Good ramen and other dishes including tonkatsu (breaded, fried pork
over rice) and okonomiyaki (savory pancake). Thursday through
Saturday, they serve ramen until 3am!
Kayaba $
4240 Kearny Mesa Rd (858) 569-6699
Before shopping for Japanese groceries in Mitsuwa, stop here for lunch.
They serve a variety of dishes from udon to curry. Also try Santouka
next door for ramen.
Sushi Ota $$-$$$

4529 Mission Bay Drive (858) 270-5670
Hands down best sushi in San Diego! Traditional Japanese and sushi, so
if you’re looking for a trendy establishment this isn’t it. Unlike many sushi
places, they take reservations.
Zenbu $$$$
7660 Fay Ave Suite 1 (858)454-4540
If you are willing to spend big $$ on sushi, this is the place to go.
Unbelievably fresh fish (the owner catches some of it himself that day!)
and a cool atmosphere. Next door is the hip Zenbu lounge, where (after
8 PM Thurs – Sat) you can drink at the bar or eat sushi on couches while
listening to a DJ.
“Everything's got a moral, if only you can find it.” – Lewis Carroll
138
Aloha Sushi $$-$$$
7731 Fay Ave. (858) 551-5000
Delicious sushi and Hawaiian grill plates, this place is awesome. They
have a great happy hour (4:30 – 6:30 PM weekdays). Also have a $24
all-you-can eat. The atmosphere is excellent, too – cute outdoor and
trendy indoor dining. A must try!!
Ra $$$
474 Broadway (Downtown) (619) 321-0021
Open ‘til 1A on Thursdays and 2 AM on Friday and Saturday, this trendy
downtown sushi bar is a great place to go before hitting up the downtown
scene. Super loud music make it near impossible to do much talking, so
don’t go here on a first date (unless not talking is the goal).
Masuo’s $$
145 S Highway 101 (Solana Beach) (858) 481-6363
This place is worth the drive! About 15 minutes north of La Jolla,
Masuo’s is a local favorite. Delicious, creative rolls – try the Hawaii 5-0 or
the Monkey Stick.
Station Sushi $$
125 N Highway 101 (Solana Beach) (858) 481-9880
5752 La Jolla Blvd (858) 551-0410
Station is a favorite local hangout for the trendy younger crowd. Good
sushi, fun atmosphere, and great service. Beware when ordering; the
rolls are notoriously big!
Edo Sushi $$
8895 Towne Center Drive #100a (858) 457-4455
Don’t let the location fool you – this place has pretty good sushi and a
cool interior, all conveniently close to campus (behind the Sears side of
the UTC mall).
Sushi on the Rock $$

7734 Girard Ave (858) 456-1138
Also a local favorite. Lots of vegetarian rolls! Unlike most sushi
restaurants, this place is also open for lunch.
Café Japengo $$$-$$$$

8960 University Center Lane (UTC) (858) 450-3355
Very close to campus (you can almost see it from One Miramar!) this
place has been voted “Best Singles Restaurant/Bar” on Thursday nights.
Delicious sushi, but pricey and the wait can be ridiculous.
Shogun Kobe $$$-$$$$

5451 Kearny Villa Road (858) 560-7399
Fun teppan room (one of those cool places where they cook in front of
you), this place is about 15 minutes from campus and has delicious
Japanese food. Be sure to make a reservation.
“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” – Søren Kierkegaard
139
Benihana $$$$
477 Camino Del Rio S (619) 298-4666
The well-known favorite. Good (though sadly Americanized) food, but
overpriced and over-touristy. Still fun for special occasions, but
recommend trying Shogun Kobe (above) first.
Mexican
El Cuervo $
110 W Washington St (619) 295-9713
Good, cheap fast Mexican food. Truly excellent border-style food for $4-
6 per order.
Fidel's $
607 Valley Ave (858) 755-5292
DELICIOUS – this place is a local secret. Plates run about $9-13.
Traditional Mexican restaurant with excellent food.
Tony’s Jacal $-$$

621 Valley Ave (858) 755-2274
Another local secret, this place always has a long wait, but it is worth it
for the delicious food. Famous for their turkey tacos and margaritas – try
them!!
Su Casa $$$
6738 La Jolla Blvd (858) 454-0369
Delicious traditional Mexican food, but pricey. Great margaritas (beware,
they come in GIANT glasses) and seafood entrees.
Alfonso’s $$$
1251 Prospect St (858) 454-2232
Food isn’t as good as Su Casa, but fun bar on weekends.
Las Olas
2655 Highway 101 (Cardiff, north of Solana Beach) $-$$
Decent Mexican food, and you can’t beat the location. Right on the
beach in Cardiff. Yogi’s is a popular bar next door with big crowds and
music on weekends.
Gringo’s $$-$$$
4474 Mission Blvd (858) 490-2877
Good margaritas, decent food, but pricey. Nice atmosphere with cheap
valet parking (= major plus in PB on weekends).
Persian
Alborz Restaurant $$
2672 Del Mar Heights Road, Del Mar (858)792-2233
The kebabas here aren't as good as Bandar, but you can always come
for Kaleh Pacheh on Sunday and Saturday mornings.
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” – Plato
140
Balboa International Market $
5907 Balboa Ave. (858) 277-3600
If you ever feel like eating some Kababs, but don't want to spend too
much money, Balboa's the place. You can get Koobideh for $5 and
Chicken for $6. While the food gets ready, you can do your grocery
shopping too.
Bandar $$$ (Lunch menu $$)

825 4th Avenue (619) 238-0101
Hands down the best Persian restaurant in San Diego and maybe
Southern California. It can be a bit pricey, but it's much cheaper for
lunch.
Pizza
Winesteals $$
1243 University Ave. (619) 295-1188.
2970 Truxton Rd. (619) 221-1959.
Features great thin crust pizza, amazing cheese boards, and a wonderful
selection of wine from all over. Great for groups.
Leucadia Pizzeria $
7748 Regents Rd Ste 303 (858) 597-2222
Leucadia Pizzeria is a decent Italian restaurant. The food is pretty good
and they serve free warm yummy garlic bread, which is fresh and warm
from the oven, crunchy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside.
The portions are enormous and the service is friendly. Their monthly
specials are good deals.
Bronx Pizza $
111 Washington St (619) 291-3341
New York-style pizza, which is quite cheesy with lots of garlic. It's cheap
though, about $2.50 per slice, and they are big slices too.
BJ’s Pizza and Grill $$

8873 Villa La Jolla Dr (858) 455-0662
BJ's is a chain restaurant serving pizzas and salads. BJ is famous for
their pizookie, which is a warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven cookie with ice
cream, so make sure you try one for dessert.
Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria $$

3448 30th St. (619) 295-1720
Some of the best pizza in San Diego, located in North Park. Try the
Spinach Supreme or Farmers Market for vegetarian options. For the
Spinach Supreme, go with the stuffed deep dish and not just deep dish.
See if you can eat more than one or two slices! Come hungry and enjoy
the décor of the Chicago memorabilia hanging on the walls.
“A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does
what he wants to do.” – Bob Dylan
141
Pizza Port $
135 N Highway 101 (858) 481-7332
Best pizza in town with a nice mix of pesto and tomato sauce for the
pies. Fun hang out on weekends! Their microbrewery serves some
decent beer as well.
Pizzeria Uno Chicago Bar and Grill $$

4465 Mission Blvd (858) 483-4143
Pizzeria Uno serves Chicago style deep dish pizzas that are a little bit on
the greasy side. The upstairs joint is a bar that provides a nice view of
Mission Blvd in Pacific Beach.
Russian
Pomegranate $$
2302 El Cajon Blvd (619)297-4007
A festive Russian/Georgian restaurant, Pomegranate has friendly service
that makes the dining experience there memorable. The use of garlic
makes all the dishes extremely tasty.
Seafood
Oceanaire Seafood Room $$$$
400 J St. (619) 858-2277.
For all the Food Network Top Chef fans out there, Brian Malarkey still
reigns in the Oceanaire kitchen. A great Restaurant Week selection,
almost for the $15 crab cake alone.
The Beach House $$$

2530 S Highway 101 (760) 753-1321
The Beach House is literally right on the sand in Cardiff, north of Solana
beach. You can sit outside for lunch/dinner on the patio and watch the
waves. Food is decent.
The Fish Market $$$

750 N Harbor Dr (619) 232-3474
Right on the waterfront, The Fish Market serves the freshest seafood
that are delicious, usually the same day’s catch. The only drawback to
the restaurant is the parking.
World Famous Seafood $$$

711 Pacific Beach Dr (858) 272-3100
On the corner of Pacific Beach Drive and the boardwalk with an ocean
view, often a little more pricey. But 1.50 lobster tacos on Wednesdays
after 6pm make this a popular place to go after free clinic.
Spanish
Costa Brava $$$
1653 Garnet Ave. (858) 273-1218
Costa Brava is a beautiful restaurant serving authentic Spanish tapas
recommended by Spanish natives. The food is fresh and delicious.
142
“Most things I worry about never happen anyway.” – Tom Petty
Turquoise $$$
873 Turquoise St (858) 488-4200
A European-themed bar with great drinks and live music. Great
atmosphere for some nice tapas and sangria.
Thai
Spices Thai Café $$
3810 Valley Centre Drive (858) 259-0889
Its lunch specials are huge portions for about $8. Be warned, though,
because a 10 on the spicy scale can supposedly kill you; even the
toughest spice-lovers can only do a six or seven. The Thai Ice Tea is
also top notch.
Spice and Rice $$-$$$

7734 Girard Ave #C (858) 456-0466
Really good Thai food at a reasonable price. Cute sidewalk-style dining
and huge lunch plates.
Kafé Yen $-$$

4516 Mission Blvd (858) 373-3936
REALLY good food at much better prices than most Thai restaurants.
Taste of Thai $$
527 University Ave (619) 291-7525
Taste of Thai is an ordinary Thai restaurant with the standard dishes.
There is usually a wait and the atmosphere is a bit loud.
Vietnamese
Pho Cow Cali Express $
9170 Mira Mesa Blvd. (858) 271-8341
Delicious, cheap pho that comes out of the kitchen at incredible speed.
Try this hot, hearty noodle soup if you aren’t familiar with it, but the rice
platters are good as well.
Pho T Cali $
Another solid pho place with a big screen TV that plays random things
from basketball games to 80s music videos.
OB Noodle House $-$$

2218 Cable St. (619) 450-6868
This place is a bit classier than the typical pho joint with dim lighting,
popular music playing overhead, and a bar. A good date night option.
Other Eateries
There are certain foods that especially attract medical students. We love
breakfast, coffee, dessert, and more – especially when the price is right.
143
“People think that if you have a huge appetite, then you'll be better at it. But actually, it's how you
confront the food that is brought to you. You have to be mentally and psychologically prepared.” –
Takeru Kobayashi
Breakfast
Big Kitchen 3003 Grape St. (619) 234-5789
Big portions with lots of vegetarian options. Food is decent, but the staff
are some of the most entertaining I've come across.
Brockton Villa 1235 Coast Blvd (858) 454-7393
Popular brunch with a beautiful view of La Jolla Cove.
Broken Yolk 1851 Garnet Ave (858) 270-9655
Cheap breakfast, huge portions- have a breakfast steak at the Broken
Yolk, coupled with hash browns, an egg, and two pieces of toast for
under $8. Crowded on weekend mornings.
The Cottage 7702 Fay Ave (858) 454-8409
Harry’s Coffee Shop 7545 Girard Ave (858) 454-7381
Excellent food for when you crave an all-American breakfast. Try the
pancakes or eggs benedict.
Hob Nob Hill 2271 1st St. (619) 239-8176
Listed in "Gourmet" magazine as one of America's greatest hometown
cafes. Great baked goods in addition to their breakfast selection.
Kono's Café 704 Garnet Ave (858) 483-1669
The best deal in town for massive breakfast burritos with an oceanfront
view!
Mission Coffee Cup 1109 Wall St (858) 454-2819
Great selection. Decent service. Lots of vegetarian options.
Parkhouse Eatery 4574 Park Blvd. (619) 295-7275
Old house converted into a restaurant, unique take on breakfast food,
and huge portions.
The Steakhouse at Azul La Jolla 1250 Prospect St. (858) 454-9616
A pricey steakhouse, but Sunday brunch is a bargain at ~$15 for an
entree with a mimosa or other drink. Great place to impress on a date or
to take the parents.
Coffee and Cafés

The Brick and Bell Cafe 928 Silverado (858) 551-0928
A variety of teas and coffees, and they make their own baked goodies.
Sandwiches are supposed to be excellent too. Both indoor and outdoor
seating.
Café 976 976 Felspar St (858) 272-0976
Converted wooden house with sunny rooms indoors, a wraparound
porch and flowering garden outside. Usually has a quiet study
environment. Free wifi. Good food-try the yogurt bowl or the veggie
pizza.
Café Crema 1001 Garnet Ave (858) 273-3558
Caffé Italia 1704 India St. (619) 234-6767
Cash only, excellent gelato, cannolis, windows open out to the heart of
little Italy, lots of couples on dates walking by. Odd music selections at
times, parking can be difficult.
Goldfish Point Café 1255 Coast Boulevard (858) 459-7407
Good breakfast food, ocean view.
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“Medicine heals doubts as well as diseases.” – Karl Marx
LeStat’s 3343 Adams Ave. (619) 282-0437

Open 24 hours. Free wifi, antique furniture, excellent Mexican hot
chocolate.
Living Room 1010 Prospect St (858) 459-1187
The Living Room has many locations in San Diego and is one of the
most popular café chains in San Diego. People tend to gather here in the
evenings so it can get a little noisy. Cozy study environment with
mismatched tables and velvet couches.
Panera 10751 Westview Parkway (858) 530-4000
Big booths, excellent leather couch chairs, big tables, bright and sunny
during the day, bread bowls w/ soup are fantastic as are the bagels, free
wifi, down the street from Barnes & Nobles and Starbucks.
Peet’s Coffee & Tea 8843 Villa La Jolla Dr (858)678-0806
Small store, usually crowded, good tables lining the windows, others are
larger but harder to come by.
Pipes 121 Liverpool Drive (760) 632-0056
Huge tasty burritos and breakfast scrambles run around $4, everything is
fresh and good and delicious, great place to spend a weekend afternoon.
Tapioca Express 7770 Regents Rd. (858) 597-0088
Open late, excellent drink variety, suggestions include the almond milk
tea boba, avocado snow bubble, and the spicy crispy chicken (mild).
Urban Grind 3797 Park Blvd. (619) 294-2920
Lofted ceiling, warehouse feel, usually crowded, small lamps light
brushed steel/industrial feeling tables, pastries, open late.
Zanzibar 976 Garnet Ave. (858) 272-4762
On Campus Cafés
Art of Espresso: An outstanding coffee and pastry cart located outside
Mandeville Hall, near the old student center and the UCSD shuttle stop.
Lots of drink options including teas and Vietnamese iced coffee.
Scripps Library Deck: Located to the right of the entrance to Scripps
library. La Jolla Shores Dr just below the bridge across Expedition Pkwy
(coming from Torrey Pines) walk down the steps from Shores toward the
ocean. Fabulous ocean view, crashing waves, overlooks Scipps pier,
sunny, comfortable plastic lawn chairs, reasonable sized wooden tables,
big trees, great coffee.
Café Ventanas: (Roosevelt College food court) Lofted ceiling, large
open space, wood rafters, walls completely made of glass, gorgeous
building, no oceanview, tables are big and plentiful, but it smells like a
dining hall, sushi is available but not terribly good, food a bit overpriced.
Oceanview Terrace: Roosevelt College south of RIMAC gym.
The Grove: tucked inside the old student center. Adjoins art center,
added bonus: watch people blow glass with your coffee. Milkshakes,
smoothies, pastries, bagels also available, wide range of
espresso/cappuccino/latte concoctions.
Earl’s: (Warren College) Open everyday until 1am during the school
year. Usually busy, noisy, packed with undergrads. Small convenience
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“A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes that he has got the
biggest piece.” – Paul Gauguin
store items available, microwaved foods, soft drinks, smoothies, muffins.
Earl’s has a few small tables and some couches.
Che Café: Scholars Scene Drive, between UCSD SOM and CLICS.
Salk Institute Café: Torrey Pines Rd north, left on Salk Watch hang
gliders and paragliders float by from one of the areas most notable
architectural highlights, spectacular views, small array of benches and
tables overlook the ocean/cliff view at the end of the ever flowing river /
waterfall at the center of the Salk, surprisingly quality food, cafeteria is at
the back left lower level, no access after business hours.
Dessert
Babycakes 3766 5th Ave. (619) 296-4173
Delicious cupcakes, from pomegranate to hazelnut. They also serve
wine, and on Tuesday evenings, purchase a glass of wine and get a free
cupcake! Bonus for studying: free wi-fi.
The Cookie Lady 7596 Fay Ave. (858) 456-1640
The most amazing cupcakes, cookies you've ever had. On the pricier
side, but it's worth it. If you order one of their delicious sandwiches you
can sample cookies while you wait for it. They also have espresso drinks
and coffee and some nice little patio tables.
th
Extraordinary Desserts 2929 5 Ave. (619) 294-213.
Rumors floating around claim that this is the single biggest reason some
med school applicants familiar with the area choose UCSD over other
schools! Well, perhaps not, but nothing will disappoint. Try their
sandwiches and variety of cheeses as well!
Gelateria Frizzante 1025 Prospect St #130 (858) 454-5798
Gelato Vero 3753 India St. (619) 295-9269
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop (619) 234-2449
Yogurt World 4646 Convoy St Ste 113 (858) 268-1688
The set-up is a self-serve, buffet-style where you grab a styrofoam cup
and fill it up with flavors of your choosing. Your concoction choices
include Asian tart flavors like mango and pineapple in addition to the
typical vanilla, chocolate, and berry flavors. When you are done with the
your mix-and-match, you can add toppings, which not only include the
typical sprinkles and candy pieces but also fresh fruit and jellies. You
pay by the ounce (tip: get a sample cup from the cashier and try the
flavors at the beginning).
Fun, Cheap Eats

Donovan’s Steak and Chop House $-$$
4340 La Jolla Village Drive (858) 450-6666
While this is a high-end steakhouse, it boasts complimentary (yes, you
heard me, free) steak sandwiches and steak burritos from 4-6pm,
Monday through Friday.
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“You can't put off being young until you retire.” – Philip Larkin
El Torito $
8910 Villa La Jolla Drive (858) 453-4115
With discounted offerings from 4-8pm Monday-Friday, El Torito is the
place to go for a ridiculously cheap dinner. With taquitos for under $3
and large combo platters for under $6, this is definitely easy on your
wallet.
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar $-$$

8970 University Center Lane (858) 535-0078
Here’s another classy steakhouse that becomes accessible to us
students every weekday. Come in before 7pm for a variety of appetizers
and drinks for just $6 each. Try the Prime Sirloin Burger – it’ll be enough
for a meal!
The Tractor Room $

3687 5th Ave (619) 543-1007
$3 appetizer menu. No joke, my friends. Monday-Friday, 5:30-6:30pm.
The ribs and the egg rolls are delicious, and the Tractor Room uses
exotic meats such as buffalo and elk in their dishes. Their drink specials
change daily.
Yard House $-$$

1023 4th Ave (619) 233-9273
This restaurant downtown offers specials from 3-6pm Monday through
Friday and again from 10pm-close Sunday through Wednesday. They’re
known for their huge variety of drinks, but their half-priced pizzas and
appetizers are also delicious and will fill you up. The seared ahi tuna
and firecracker wings are particularly savory.
“A work of art has no importance whatever to society. It is only important to the

147
individual.” – Vladimir Nabakov
148
Eateries on Campus
Moody’s Catering Truck
Monday – Friday from 11:30 – 12:30 PM.

Moody’s Catering truck will be on campus behind the old Club Med
facility (until further notice). Moody’s has a variety of lunch options
(including: grab and go, made to order grill and, healthy alternatives).
Moody’s has been on campus over the summer and feedback has been
good from those purchasing items. Prices are very reasonable and a
sample menu can be found in the Office of Student Affairs.
Campus Cuisine
This year we will offer a new service for lunch on campus. Campus
Cuisine is a company that contracts with local restaurants to deliver
meals to students on campus. The service is completely online allowing
students to pre-order lunch to be delivered on Friday’s. Student’s may
create an account online and have the option to pre-pay or pay as they
go. Menu options will vary, but could include Rubio’s or Fin’s Mexican
Food, Daphne’s Greek, and/or Yummy Maki Yummy Box (sushi and
Japanese food). All meals will be delivered to the OSA where students
will be able to pick them up.
http://www.campuscuisine.net/campus/cuisine.nsf/doclu/home
Coffee Cart
There is a coffee cart located in front of the Leichtag Building (north of

the Biomedical Library). Hours are 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday –
Thursday and 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM on Fridays. The cart is closed on the
weekend. They offer pre-made salads and sandwiches, yogurt, muffins
and pastries, cold drinks and specially made hot beverages. Bring your
own cup for a $1 refill (up to 16 ounces).
“Nature didn’t make us perfect, so she did the next best thing; she made us blind to our faults.”
149
Entertainment
Aquariums
SeaWorld: tickets purchased during non-peak months often have special
deals
UCSD-Birch Aquarium: kid-friendly, outdoor tidepool area.
Seals and sea lions at the Children's Pool in La Jolla 850 Coast
Boulevard: If you want to enjoy San Diego marine life but don't feel like
spending money on a ticket to Sea World or the aquarium, this is a great.
Amusement parks
Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth is right here in Southern
California. To get to Disneyland, take the 5 North to Orange County and
watch for the signs. It's really hard to miss. Go early, because there is
never enough time to do everything. It's as wonderful as it has always
been.
Knott's Berry Farm: Knott's started out as a berry farm and they still sell
a lot of fruit preserves. Their park in Orange County has some fun rides
and a Peanuts theme. Take the 5 North until you see signs. Around
Halloween it becomes Knott’s Scary Farm. This is only at night and will
sell out, so call the park about a month in advance to get tickets.
Raging Waters: Huge (44-acre) water park with lots and lots of water
slides, raft rides and rapids. Sunscreen is very useful here.
Universal Studios: Lots of interesting attractions, like a simulated
earthquake and cool old movie sets and props. Just outside the theme
park's gates is the Universal CityWalk, which is a glitzy, though unique,
shopping center with some rather nice restaurants, and a movie theater.
Beaches (for surfing beaches/tips see “Surfing” section)

Scripps Pier: close to campus, street parking available
Black’s Beach: just north of Scripps pier - historically a nude beach (of
60+ year-old men – not exactly every man’s dream) though people rarely
are. Great waves but long walk (Ramon has the key for all of you surfers)
La Jolla Shores: right behind UCSD. Sunbathers crowd this beach
during the weekends, so parking can be tough to find
Marine Street: at the end of Marine Street, as the name implies. Less
crowded than other beaches. Windansea is a short walk south.
Mission Bay: calm water, lawns and campfire pits
Powerhouse Park: 15th Street, Del Mar
Del Mar beach breaks: 15-29th street. The end of 29th street is a dog
beach, where puppies can play off-leash from Sept-June 15th, and on-
leash through the summer.
Bowling
Kearny Mesa Bowl: 7585 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, (858) 279-1501
East Village Tavern and Bowl: 930 Market Street (619) 677-BOWL
Trendy urban bowling, just 4 blocks from the bars in the Gaslamp
downtown.
“I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn't know how to get along without it.”
– Walt Disney
150
Ice Skating
UTC: 4545 La Jolla Village Dr (858) 452-9110, located next to the food
court in the mall
San Diego Ice Arena: 11048 Ice Skate Pl., (858) 530-1825
Hiking
Torrey Pines State Reserve: 12600 N Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla
Sunset Cliffs: 1253 Sunset Cliffs, Ocean Beach
The La Jolla Caves: 1325 Cave St, La Jolla. Hike to a sea cave through
an underground tunnel. There is a $4 admission fee.
Iron Mountain (Poway) – a 6-mile hike round trip. Don’t go if it’s hot out
– this place cooks. A true hike though, unlike the other places listed.
Movie Theaters
UCSD Price Center Theater: This on-campus theater shows
blockbuster movies Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for only $3 (and
sometimes for free). To see what is showing, check out the schedules
posted online at: http://theuniversitycenters.ucsd.edu/events/movies.html
Landmark La Jolla Village: smaller theater that mainly shows
independent films
AMC La Jolla Village: closest mainstream theater to the SOM campus,
student discounts with ID
Edwards Mira Mesa: large theater with stadium seats
Museums
Balboa Park: the largest urban cultural park in the country. Balboa Park
features beautiful Spanish architecture, at least 15 museums and the
world-famous San Diego Zoo.
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego: 700 Prospect St, La Jolla,
(858) 454-3541
Zoos
The San Diego Zoo became famous for creating natural habitats for
animals in "cageless" exhibits. The San Diego Wild Animal Park takes
this concept a step further with free-range enclosures that can be viewed
by tram and safari ride.
Nightlife
Casual/Moderately casual
Basic (410 10th Ave 619-531-8869)
Bondi (333 5th Ave 619-342-0212)
Authentic Australian bar which will bring back memories for all of you
who have visited Sydney’s Cargo bar (same architect). Only Aussie beer
served here, and almost all employees are Australian. Best fried
calamari in town!
Jimmy O’s (225 W 15th St Del Mar 858-350-3735)
An SOM favorite. Small bar, but good music, fun crowd, and just a few
steps away from the beach.
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“I loved history because to me, history was like watching a movie.” – Quentin Tarantino
En Fuego (1342 Camino Del Mar 858-792-6551)
Super fun place to start the night. Gorgeous outdoor 2 story bar with
decent food and a fun Taco Tuesday. Walk to Jimmy O’s around the
corner after for dancing.
Porter’s Pub: on campus pub that has often been the site of many post-
exam gatherings
The Shack: (La Jolla, 858-454-5280)
CHEAP drink specials, pool tables, super casual (as in you can go in
your PJ’s if you so desire)
PB Bar and Grill (Pacific Beach, 858-272-1242)
RT’s Longboards (Pacific Beach, 858-270-4030)
Less crazy “Taco Tuesday” than other PB spots
Typhoon Saloon (Pacific Beach, 858-373-3474)
Silver Fox: popular dive bar (Pacific Beach, 858-270-1343)
The Lamplighter: (Hillcrest, 619-298-3624) Dive bar with the best
karaoke. Thursday nights are fun and less crowded
The Field Irish Pub (Downtown, 619-232-9840)
Clubs/Upscale
Sweetwater Saloon at the Hardrock (207 5th Ave 619-764-6925)
One of the newest “clubs” downtown, this place is just a giant bar with
dance music. Roof deck is fun but not as nice as Ivy. In the summer they
have their own version of Vegas’ famous pool party “Rehab” on
Sundays, here called “Intervention.” Cover $20, line enormous
Envy at the Ivy Hotel (600 F St 619-844-2055)
Like Vegas in San Diego, this club is fairly new and thus still popular.
Rooftop bar is really nice. Best night is Saturday (though Thursday and
Friday are decent too) but get there by 8:30 or you will wait in line for
hours. $20 cover
Stingaree (454 6th Ave 619-544-9500)
Named after the nickname for the district in the old days, Stingaree is a
multi-level club. Music is not so great, and the crowd has gotten a little
weird since most people go to the newer clubs. However, easier to get
into than other places. $20 cover
On Broadway (615 Broadway, San Diego 619-231-0011)
Biggest club in San Diego; many rooms with different types of music. $20
cover, but free if you put yourself on the list at http://obec.tv/
Bitter End (707 Fifth Avenue, San Diego 619-338-9300)
This bar is fun, but not worth the cover. Three levels – a bar, a lounge,
and a dance room.
Onyx Room/THIN: Live Jazz Tuesdays (852 5th Ave, Gaslamp 619-
235-6699)
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“Even when I get hay-fever I find I may sneeze but I don't really mind. As long as I'm in love with
the summertime” – Neil Hannon (of The Divine Comedy)
153
Concert Venues
4th and B (345 B Street 619-231-4343)
<http://www.4thandb.com/>
4th and B is a club setting, featuring an eclectic mix of bands, typically more on
the independent, smaller act side. Seats 1,000 people.
Anthology (1337 India Street 619-595-0300)

<http://www.anthologysd.com >
The Anthology club is a more upscale location, featuring primarily jazz and folk
artists. There is a casual dress code, and one must purchase a meal to watch the
concerts. If you go to the Anthology, make sure you request a table on the
ground level as you will not be able to see the stage on the second or third
floors.
Belly Up (143 S. Cedros Avenue 858-481-8140)

<http://www.bellyup.com/>
The Belly Up is acoustically the best concert venue in San Diego. They feature
concerts every night of the week, and present genres of all types, from country
to rock, jazz, and more. They often present local and independent bands. Along
with the concerts, the Belly Up is also a bar and restaurant, so you can have a
meal before the concert if you wish.
The Casbah (2501 Kettner Blvd.)

<http://www.casbahmusic.com/>
The Casbah is a bar and concert venue. Along with its concerts (which are
usually lesser known, independent acts) there are also dance nights. The small
size of the bar makes for entertaining, personal-feeling concerts.
Copley Symphony Hall (1245 7th Avenue 619-235-0804)

<http://www.sandiegosymphony.com/copleyhall_index.php>
As the name suggests, this hall primarily presents symphony performances. As
of late there haven’t been many other acts that have played here, but
occasionally they do feature a popular music act or two. Bands as large as Led
Zeppelin, The Kinks, and Tori Amos have graced the stage at this hall, which
has been in existence since 1929.
Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre (2050 Entertainment Circle

619-671-3500)
<http://www.livenation.com/venue/cricket-wireless-amphitheatre-tickets>
This is an open air theater, which features large, popular acts. Seating is situated
in three sections, moving back from the stage, with cheap lawn seating behind
the last section.
154
“Music is the effort we make to explain to ourselves how our brains work. We listen to Bach
transfixed because this is listening to a human mind.” – Lewis Thomas
Dizzy’s (2nd & J Street 858-270-7467)
<http://www.dizzysjazz.com/>
Dizzy’s is the quintessential jazz club in San Diego, featuring acts as that vary
from local to internationally renowned. The club isn’t picky on its types of jazz
either, and features bands of all types, from traditional jazz to experimental and
fusion.
House of Blues (1055 Fifth Avenue 619-299–BLUE)

<http://www.houseofblues.com/venues/clubvenues/sandiego/>
The House of Blues is one of the better venues in town. Its main stage is
situated two stories underground to cut down on sound leaking to the outside,
with speakers situated for an acoustically excellent experience. The hall is
standing only. There is the option of a balcony view, however your view may
be obstructed by the speakers if you choose the balcony. Along with the main
stage, there is a side stage that holds roughly 200 people, for the most personal
concert experience in town. At the side stage, you can get close enough to be
standing nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with the artists as they perform, and is a
perfect place to meet the bands after the concerts. There is also a restaurant, and
if you eat at the House of Blues, you receive a front of the line pass for the
concert.
Humphrey’s (2241 Shelter Island Drive)

<http://www.humphreysconcerts.com/>
Humphrey’s is an outdoor theater, with 1,400 seats, and is famous for having the
backdrop of the San Diego Bay. As it can get cold by the bay, they tend to hold
concerts only from May through October of each year, and present acts that
range from classic rock to jazz, country, comedy, and more.
San Diego Sports Arena (3500 Sports Arena Blvd. 619-224-4171)

<http://www.sandiegoarena.com/>
Similar in size to the Viejas Arena, the San Diego Sports Arena also features big
ticket acts. Along with concerts, sporting events and other activities are also
held here. For those of you with children (or who want to be young at heart)
there are also events for children held here annually such as Sesame Street Live
and Disney on Ice.
SDSU Open Air Theater (5500 Campanile Drive)

<http://www.livenation.com/venue/sdsu-open-air-theatre-tickets/>
This is an interesting venue. It is situated in the middle of San Diego State
University, directly behind the library, boasting 4,600 seats. Acts performing
here are typically national acts, on the more popular side.
SOMA (3350 Sports Arena Blvd. 619-226-7662)

<http://www.somasandiego.com >
SOMA is arranged similarly to the House of Blues, however features more
independent artists. The venue primarily presents punk and hardcore bands,
along with local artists.
155
“Music is always a commentary on society.” – Frank Zappa

Spreckels Organ Pavilion (1549 El Prado, Suite 10 619-702-8138)
<http://www.sosorgan.com/>
Like the Copley Symphony Hall, Spreckels is a historic landmark, as it houses
the world’s largest outdoor pipe organ (4,530 pipes). It was constructed in 1915
and has featured an incredible diversity of acts, from classical organ concerts,
featuring famous organists such as Robert Plympton as well as modern artists.
Many famous bands have performed at the pavilion, from Jefferson Airplane to
most recently the Arcade Fire. If you enjoy organ concerts, also check out First
United Methodist Church, San Diego, which has the largest pipe organ in San
Diego, at 6,042 pipes, and holds monthly concerts
(<http://fumcsd.org/music/pipeorgans.shtml>).
Viejas Arena (5500 Canyon Crest Drive 619-594-0234)

(previously known as Cox Arena)
<http://www.as.sdsu.edu/viejas_arena/index.html>
This is the arena where the largest acts come to perform. Seating is arranged in
a typical arena set-up, with stadium seating (12,000 seats), or if you wish to be
closer, an open floor to stand in.
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“When you're around someone good, your own standards are raised.” – Ritchie Blackmore
157
Travel to Mexico
About 45 minutes south on I-5 you can cross the border into Mexico.
Shopping/bartering in Tijuana is fun and inexpensive, and the legendary
lobster of Puerto Nuevo is something that shouldn’t be missed. For the
more intrepid, Hussong’s Cantina in Ensenada (about an hour and a half
into Mexico) is a lot of fun, and San Felipe offers the best beach-
camping/off-roading south of Pismo beach. Finding people who speak
English is not usually a problem, and American money is gladly
accepted.
Tijuana (“TJ”), located at the border, is only 45 minutes down I-5. Though
you can drive into TJ, for trips near the border, many people prefer to
park in pay lots on the U.S. side and walk into Tijuana. The walk to the
main drag, Avenida Revolucíon, takes about fifteen minutes, or you can
take a cab (pay no more than $5 for two to six people to go from the
border to the Jai-Alai palace). If you choose to drive, be aware that
Mexican law requires that you buy inexpensive Mexican insurance for
your car (about $15/day). Your regular U.S. car insurance does not cover
you if you drive in Mexico. However, keep in mind that if you get in an
accident in Mexico, regardless of whether you have insurance (or
whether you think the accident was your fault), you can expect to go
through confusing and expensive legal proceedings. There is also an
entrenched legal principle that “the American is always at fault,” so drive
at your own risk. Be careful and drive slowly (California cars are more
prone to getting speeding tickets). Despite these words of caution,
almost all of the Mexicans you will meet will be the most friendly and
charming people ever.
If you find TJ a little seedy, a slightly longer but scenic drive to Ensenada
will take you more inland where the prices of things are cheaper and a bit
more authentic and quiet. Once under way, you will find the toll roads to
be quite good, the libre (free) roads less so. Road signs are in Spanish! If
you aren’t sure what they mean, GET AN EXPLANATION OF THEM.
Note that the wait to pass through U.S. customs on your return
averages 45 minutes and can be up to 4 hours.
YOU NOW NEED A PASSPORT TO ENTER AND RETURN FROM

ANYWHERE IN MEXICO, INCLUDING TIJUANA! Foreign students
should be prepared to show any or all of their immigration documents.
“Men become old when their hurt becomes need, but time is a lover and your time is young.” – Joe
Henry
Mexican law
158
General: Under no circumstances, do anything that could possibly,
remotely, get you into Mexican jail. You DO NOT want to be in a
Mexican jail. A person may be held in jail up to 72 hours without a charge
being filed. The Mexican judicial system does not presume innocence
until proven guilty. Bail exists, but is usually not granted to non-Mexican
citizens. The US Government cannot even get people out of the jails
there.
Don’t play around: do what the federales say. Remember, they carry
guns.
No one under the age of 17 can legally enter Mexico unless they are
accompanied by a parent or guardian. Using false IDs can lead to time
spent in jail.
Many people have been arrested and have had to pay hefty fines for
urinating or spitting in public. Both are illegal.
Avoid making public disturbances. Loud cursing, throwing bottles,

littering and nudism are not appreciated in Mexico and can lead to your
arrest.
Each visitor may take back across the border up to $400.00 worth of
goods duty-free, 1 liter of alcoholic beverage, 100 cigars and 200
cigarettes every 30 days. Fruits, veggies, and other perishables are not
permitted across the border.
Alcohol/Drugs: The legal drinking age in Mexico is 18 and over. It is

illegal for minors to drink or enter bars in Mexico. If you go down to TJ to
drink, expect to be with the” I just graduated high school” crowd from SD.
There is no difference between possession of drugs and drug trafficking

to Mexican law. The penalty for the offense may be five to fifteen years in
prison.
The possession of an open alcohol container in public is illegal in Mexico

and San Diego.
Drunk driving is considered a major violation in Mexico. Avoid it by all

means. It is a police and transit violation, and you may be arrested.
Designate a driver. On many occasions the SD Police and Mexican
authorities team up with DUI checkpoints.
“I know there is strength in the differences between us. I know there is comfort where we overlap.” –
Ani DiFranco
Auto Safety
159
When a car accident takes place, the driver at fault must pay damages
before being released from custody. An accident is a felony in Mexico. It
is essential to obtain auto insurance that is valid in Mexico before
crossing the border.
Follow all traffic signals and posted signs when driving or walking.
In Mexico, it is illegal to make a right turn on a red light.
Speed limits are posted in kilometers per hour, not miles per hour.
Drive slowly and observe posted signs.
Mexican Auto Insurance can be purchased from the Mexican Consulate

located at the last U.S. exit before the border. It is highly advisable to
buy a day plan, even for an afternoon in Mexico.
Tips for Travelers

Seek medical care for injuries in the U.S. -get across the border, or
get to the border and call 911 to be taken to a SD hospital.
You can be fined for jaywalking.
Park in well lit, highly visible areas. Ample parking can be found in the
city in metered areas or various parking lots scattered around Avenida
Revolucion and adjacent streets. Cars parked on side streets may be
vandalized or stolen.
Go and remain with a group of people.
It is safer to stay in the main tourist district of TJ. This is located in the
Avenida Revolucion area.
Obtain a tourist permit if you plan to stay in Mexico for more than 72
hours or go farther than 150 miles south of the border. Present a
passport or photo ID at the port of entry and request a card.
Carry your health insurance policy number and policy name with you at
all times when traveling. Review your policy before departure so you are
clear about coverage and restrictions.
If you plan to go to TJ often, it is wise to get a Hepatitis A immunization

shot.
When in Trouble
The American consul staff can assist you with legal and other problems.
“It's not important to me that people understand me.” – Kate Bush

160
Call them if you have any serious medical, legal, or financial difficulty
while in Mexico. The Consulate General is open from 8:00am to 4:30pm
and is located at 96 Tapachula Avenue, Colonia Hipodromo, 22420
Tijuana. From Mexico, the phone number is (6) 681-7400.
If you are arrested, state your citizenship and ask to speak to the
American consul. Remember to keep your ID with you at all times.
Ask to speak to the chief of police if you have any questions about the
propriety of your contact with a law officer. Note the badge number and
the police patrol car at the time of your encounter with the authorities.
Pay any fines at the police station. DO NOT attempt to pay an officer
directly. Bribery is illegal and law enforcement officials are not
authorized to take money to clear infractions.
Important phone numbers

San Diego Trolley....................................................... (619) 233-3004
U.S. Consulate-TJ....................................................... 8174-00
Night phone from the US............................... (619) 585-2000
Day Phone......................................................011-5266-81-7400
OR 011-5266-81-7700
Mexican consulate..................................................... (619) 231-8414
UCSD International Center........................................ (858) 534-373
“I've always spent more time with a smile on my face than not.” – Robert Smith
161
Random Questions and Answers…

Q: Where is the cheapest place to buy lunch?
A: The cafeteria in the VA Hospital – it has pizza, sandwiches, and if you
have the time and patience, some great war stories. The VA also has
a cheap barber shop.
Q: What happens to you and your transcript if you get a borderline pass
‘Y’ in a class?”
A: See the Advisor and Student Handbook and ask your OSA advisor for
the official answer.
Q: Where is the best (and cheapest) place to get a massage?

A: The School of Healing Arts in Pacific Beach (~$28/hr), call (858)490-
2551 to make an appointment.
Q: Who made that scary-looking fountain of a woman with nails stuck in

her?
A: A breast cancer survivor created it. There are many other pieces of
public artwork scattered around the campus, too, part of the Stuart
Collection. As our man in Sacramento, Hugh C. Regent, likes to say,
“Beautiful people should learn in a beautiful place.”
Q: Where is the cheapest place to get gas?

A: Costco, located on Morena Blvd. north of Balboa. You need a
Costco membership to use the pumps. If Costco's not an option, try
the cheapest corner of the 4 stations at the intersection of Genesee
and Governor.
Q: What happens to you and your transcript if you fail a class?

A: See the Advisor and Student Handbook and ask your OSA advisor.
Q: What is your “file” and what does it contain?

A: We think it might have something to do with the Manhattan Project,
but we are... the weakest link. Ask your advisor, who has the best
statistical chance of helping you. Don’t worry, you can view it
practically anytime you’d like.
Q: When should you consider taking a Leave of Absence?

A: Ooh... you’re going to be a contestant on The Amazing Race... maybe
you want to cover yourself with snakes and be watched by millions of
162
television viewers. But don’t listen to us. If you have some personal,
family, or academic issues, ask your OSA advisor and see the
Advisor and Student Handbook.
Q: Who are those unfamiliar faces that you didn’t see during Orientation
in your 1st year classes?
A: The second year pharmacy students do most of the first year courses
with the medical students. There are 60 pharmacy students who will
also be intermingled in small groups and labs with your class.
Q: When should you consider decelerating?

A: The car in front of you on the freeway stops suddenly, in our not-so -
expert opinion. You’ll have to ask your OSA advisor and see the
Advisor and Student Handbook for information on medical school
deceleration, or taking an extra year.
Q: What does “professionalism” have to do with med students?

A: It means being on time to class, if you’re late, come in quietly. Use
the back exits during lectures if you must leave for any reason. Be on
time for clinics, preceptorships, rotations. Remember that you
represent your school and profession even though you are a med
student, especially when you get dressed in the morning (i.e. save
your string bikini for the beach). If going to clinic or hospitals, dress
the part.
Q: How do you honor all of your classes and get into a good residency
program and have a distinguished career?
A: Work hard and pray for a miracle.
163
Acknowledgments & Contributors
Thanks to Keiko Amano, Angela Asemoto, Vanda Farahmand, Amy
Huang, Ian Neel, Perrie Pardee, Tiffany Prugpichailers, and all the
countless people who have added to and edited this guide in the years
before us. Special thanks to Keiko Amano for the amazing cover artwork
and Holden Groves for the very cool picture of Dr. Kritchevsky. We’d also
like to thank the OSA staff and the anonymous students of the classes of
‘06, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’10, ’11, and ‘12 who offered their comments regarding
courses and the medical school experience. Many thanks to everyone
else who’ve helped out and whose names we’ve forgot to mention.
UCSD telephone directory

The area code is (858) when dialing from an off-campus location. If
dialing from an on-campus location, dial last five digits (i.e. For 534-
4279, dial 44279).
Bike Shop ……………………………….……………………….. 534-4279

Birch Aquarium at Scripps ……………….…………………….. 534-FISH
Bloomers (Flower Store, Price Center) ….……………………. 534-0880
Bookstore …………………………………….………………….. 534-7323
Medical Instruments ………………….……………….. 534-7057
Electronics Department ………………..……………… 822-1066
Computer Repair ………………………….…………... 822-1062
Computer Center …………………………….………... 534-4291
Textbook Information …………………………..……… 534-4557
Box Office ………………………………………………….…….. 534-8497
Bursar ……………………………………………………….……. 534-1173
Canyon View Pool …………………………………………….… 534-6034
Central Cashier …………………………………………………. 534-3725
Copy Center Imprints ……………………………………….….. 534-2377
Council Travel ………………………………………………….…452-0630
Community Service Officers/Escorts (CSO) …………………. 534-WALK
Disabled Student Services …………………………………….. 534-4382
EDNA (Campus Information) ………………………………….. 534-EDNA
Educational Computing (EdCom), SOM…………. somedcom@ucsd.edu
Administration …………………………………………. 534-4123
Technical ………………………………………………. 534-2337
Emergency
On campus police …………………………………….. 534-4357
Off campus police …………………………………….. 911
General Store Co-op …………………………………………… 534-3932
Graduate Student Association (GSA) ………………………… 534-6504
Groundworks Books ……………………………………………. 452-9625
Grove Caffe ……………………………………………………… 534-5272
Housing
Graduate Housing …………………………………….. 824-0850
Off Campus Housing Office ………………………….. 534-3670
International Center …………………………………………….. 534-3730
164
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center …… 534-4297
Library Information (for hours) ………………………………… 534-3336
Biomedical Library …………………………………….. 534-3253
CLICS …………………………………………………… 822-5427
Geisel Library ………………………………………….. 534-3339
Scripps Library ………………………………………… 534-3274
Maintenance …………………………………………………….. 534-2600
Outback Adventures ……………………………………………. 534-0684
Parking …………………………………………………………… 534-4223
Parking Enforcement …………………………………………… 534-4356
Photo I.D. cards ………………………………………………… 534-4322
Porter’s Pub …………………………………………………….. 587-4828
Price Center Restaurants
Round Table Pizza …………………………………… 457-2060
Espresso Roma …………………………………….... 450-2141
Jamba Juice …………………………………………... 622-2020
Panda Express ……………………………………….. 638-0106
Rubio’s ………………………………………………… 784-0519
Subway Sandwiches …………………………………. 458-0070
Wendy’s ……………………………………………….. 450-9425
US Post Office (Price Center) ………………………………… 534-2052
Recreation ………………………………………………………. 534-3150
Registrar ………………………………………………………… 534-3150
Residency Requirements ……………………………………… 534-4586
RIMAC …………………………………………………………... 534-4037
Office of Student Affairs ……………………………………….. 534-3700
Sexual Harassment for Prevention & Policy ………………... 534-8298
Soft Reserves ………………………………………………….. 534-6256
Sports Facilities ………………………………………………… 534-7884
Student Financial Services ……………………………………..534-3807
Student Health, Information …………………………………... 534-3300
Appointments ………………………………………… 534-8089
Cancellations …………………………………………. 534-1770
Woman’s Clinic ………………………………………. 534-2669
Health Education …………………………………….. 534-2419
Pharmacy …………………………….………………. 534-2135
Insurance …………………………………………….. 534-2123
Vision Clinic ………………………………………….. 534-2602
Medical Records …………………………………….. 534-2139
Student Legal Services ………………………………………. 534-4374
Student Psychological Services …………………………….. 534-3755
Shuttle Operations ……………………………………………. 534-6282
Transportation Alternatives ………………………………….. 534-RIDE
Triton Taxi ……………………………………………………… 822-4CAB
University Events ……………………………………………… 534-4090
Women’s Center ………………………………………………. 822-0074
165
NOTES
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2009 - 2010

Congratulations on your acceptance to The UCSD School of

We encourage you to look through the guide as the quarters

Although this guide is very comprehensive and covers many

We are always looking for ways to improve this guide.

Best of luck in your new endeavor!

Keiko Amano, Ian Neel

Student Groups and Projects…………………….. 103

Random Questions and Answers..................... 154

UCSD Telephone Directory....................................... 156

The ongoing construction of new housing for graduate students has

The Parking and Commuting Alternatives website is a great resource for

The parking on the UCSD campus is closely patrolled and heavily

$183/qtr. ($213.50 for Fall quarter) or $610/yr. “S” (yellow) permits

Parking Services also offers a variety of short-term permit options:

“Walking is man's best medicine.” - Hippocrates

Getting around from day to day is serious business in Southern

San Diego city buses

Campus shuttle bus

Trains, Trolleys, Coasters, & Planes

Directions to San Diego International Airport:

Do you need a car?

Closest Gas Station

¾ Stedman’s Medical Dictionary

The University Bookstore makes available an extensive selection of

Many clinical students have recommended purchasing the Maxwell

Course reserves. A lot of material is available via electronic reserves

PubMed information. The UC campuses use PubMed for Medline

Access from home. To get access to e-journals, e-books and databases

Clinical resources. There’s a quick Web page devoted to the top

Popular reading. The CLICS library at Revelle has a public-library type

Questions? Contact the library at <biomed.ucsd.edu/ask>.

The Essential Stores....

Albertson’s & Savon

Ralph’s Grocery Store

Von’s Grocery Store

Make an online reservation at the DMV to avoid standing in long lines.

Check out the ATMs on campus before deciding so it will be more

Grades and evaluations

The provisional unsatisfactory grade, “Y” in a course, often confuses

Marginal performance: If you get a “Y” or an “F” on a midterm, final, or

“I hope I didn’t brain my damage.” – Homer Simpson

Mishaps: If you have trouble securing a particular evaluation, or if you

SPC Cheat Sheet

The Standing and Promotions Committee (SPC) is comprised of

PROVISIONALLY UNSATISFACTORY (“Y”) Grade

FAIL (“F”) GRADE

ALLEGATION OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY/UNPROFESSIONAL

FAILURE OF USMLE STEP I*

Consequences of Academic Probation

An example for the still-skeptical: while absorbing some sun rays

So you’ve muscled your way through O-chem, physics, calculus, and

Wrong. The courses here will demand an exhaustive knowledge of the

In the meantime, the key to everything will be to stay on top of the

A number of students get married during med school, a few even do it

“Whatever you are, be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln

Also, the administration will be quite helpful, particularly your counselor

Regarding a good time to become pregnant, here are some options.

Socially speaking, everyone ultimately finds a niche and no one is

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transsexual

The UCSD SOM community is really receptive to gay, lesbian, bisexual,

Working part time

Medical school is our full time profession fo