"If the slightest inkling of a competitive specialty (eye, ENT, ortho), study your butt off 1st and 2nd years and truly know the information...it is a numbers game."

"Balance your life. Work hard, live harder."

-- Ray Chang '03
President, 2000-01

"I'm glad that I was able to go out of town every weekend and still do better than well in all my classes -- first year is not that time consuming. Make a point to use the time to your advantage before your clinical years."

"If someone had told me that living in LA would compromise the integrity of my lungs, I would have chosen a different medical school. Okay, not really, but the air here DOES suck."

-- Andrew T. Kwa '03
Social & Fundraising Chair, 2000-01

"There's a good chance that you'll do very poorly on your first gross exam, but there's an excellent chance that you'll do much better on the next one."

"Have a study plan (one that involves cramming is acceptable), and try to follow it."

"Be friendly."

"Everyone is smart and talented and so are you; so worry less, do more."

-- Albert Lam '04
Social & Fundraising Chair, 2001-02

"I'm glad that I went to Vegas with my classmates after the first set of exams."

-- Jay W. Lee '02
Social & Fundraising Chair, 1999-2000

"Go to MSP. If you don't like your instructor, ask around to find which one is good."

"You need to be in the gross lab every weekend."

"Get involved in student organizations! They're a great way to meet people in your class and upperclassman (very good for getting advice... =) )"

-- Alex Lin, '04
Publicity & Historical Chair, 2001-02

"Study when you need to study; have fun when you're out to have fun. In short, 'work hard, play hard'."

"Interact with your professors. They love their subjects and want you to learn."

"Get involved in organizations."

-- Harrison Lin, '04
President, 2001-02

"If you want to stay awake, stand up on the aisles or sit in the aisles."

"Don't buy all the text books."

"I didn't visit the GA lab very much, but I studied off the Rohen Color Atlas of Anatomy, secondary only to Netter. During your lab practicals, the GA staff will only test you on perfect dissections...and where do you find perfect dissections? Usually not dissections done by students, but on the prosections and also in Rohen. Figure out what will work best for you. Personally I got enough formaldehyde during the labs and I didn't need any more."

"Buy your board books early, and refer to them during the first year. Jot notes down if necessary. Board books give you the 'big picture', and sometimes they are better than the lecture notes or the lecturers. Ask MSII, MS IIIs for tips on which ones to get."

"Just remember that any time, somebody you'll know will be studying. So when you are taking a break, don't feel guilty and do what you got to do."

-- Ann Lo, '05
First Year Representative, 2001-02
President, 2002-03

"If someone had told me earlier about the Doctor's Dining Room, I wouldn't have spent the extra dough buying lunches at Seaver…"

"If someone had told me that most medical students are either caffeinated or asleep (and sometimes both), I would have bought a (bigger) coffee maker."

"If someone had told me they were hungry for pizza, I would tell them to wait for the next medical-related meeting in McKibben."

-- Stanley Lue '05
Hepatitis B Task Force Chair, 2001-02
Hepatitis B Task Force Chair, 2002-03

"If only someone had told me that I snore, I wouldn't have fallen asleep in lecture too much."

"If only someone had told me that the pictures in Netter don't always look like the cadavers, I would've have spent more time in the GA lab."

"If only someone had told me that Micah Wakamatsu was such a babe-magnet, I would hang out with him more often."

-- Adler Salazar '05
Community Service Representative, 2001-02
Community Service Chair, 2002-03

"If only someone had told me that first year was going to be this damn hard, I would have taken more time off during this past summer to relax…"

-- Dan Tzuang '05
Community Service Representative, 2001-02
President, 2002-03

"I am glad that I got involved with a student organization. Constant studying can be a real pain."

"I am glad that I got to know some of the MSII students. Helps with getting advice and makes you feel at home to know some other students outside of your class."

-- Jay Yeh '05
First Year Representative, 2001-02
Social & Fundraising Chair, 2002-03