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SOM/CodeBlue

To the 2009 Entering Class:

Allow me to be among the first to welcome you to the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine! Congratulations!! You've made it. Through all the hard work of high school, college, jobs, applications, interviewing, and more you've made the cut and now begin your professional life as a doctor. Take a minute and think about how far you've come - and how far you have to go.

Don't worry, we were all in your position. Transitioning to medical school is a significant change from college and most of you are moving here from out of town. You probably have a ton of questions, anxieties, and excitement. The amount of information that comes at you during medical school will be intense and, at times, overwhelming. Again, don't worry, others have felt the same way and have survived. These will be some of the best times of your life as you make lasting friendships as well as challenged in ways you couldn't have imagined when you first signed up to go to medical school. I can assure you that there is no other profession as wonderful as the practice of medicine and the hard work is worth it.

The start of medical school is one of the most trying times during your education. There is a large work-load, many people to meet, outside demands on your time, changing habits etc. For this reason, CodeBlue: A Guide for First-Year Students at Case Western Reserve University was created; it will help you become a part of our community by informing you of what you need to know. In this guide, you will find information about student perspectives on starting school here, how to get set up in your new home, starting school, people to know, and how to get things done. Basically, all the info that we wish we had known we tried to put in here. Hopefully, you can use your saved time towards becoming a better doctor for your future patients.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Hahn
Editor, CodeBlue: A Guide for First-Year Medical Students

p.s. Don't forget to check out the Appendix below with useful information like Acronyms and Abbreviations - we'll have you talking like a first-year medical student in no time!

[edit] Introduction to CodeBlue

CodeBlue is a guide for current medical school students at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, with a particular emphasis on entering students. The idea originated, and credit is due, to Vanderbilt Medical School's The Paddle by which much of this guide is based. CodeBlue Guide takes advantage of Wiki-technology, allowing any CaseMed student to edit and update the information throughout. CodeBlue also works in unison with the Cleveland Guide and the Campus Guide, created by the SOM's own Committee of Student Representatives in 2001 and have since been made into Case Wiki Guides as well as adopted as a school-wide initiative to provide information to students.

We hope for this guide to answer many of the questions you have through your years as a medical student and to make the transition from lay-person to physician that much easier. This is not a unique attitude; as you will soon learn, we are all here to help you become a part of the team. It is important for upperclassmen to pass on their knowledge and experience to future classes. With the combined support of CSR and the Peer-Handoff program, this manual shall be updated every year by rising second-year students. If you find benefit from this guide, please consider contributing to it as you can - even if you are not affiliated with CSR or Peer-Handoff, its as simple as logging-in and clicking "Edit this Page". The Wiki-code is very easy to understand.

Why is this guide called CodeBlue? A Code Blue in the hospital refers to a situation where someone has stopped breathing and needs immediate help. During your first year of medical school, you may find yourself at times feeling stressed out and could use some help. This guide is a way of providing that life-saving help that you may need (a stretch, we know). However, and more importantly, we really liked the idea of CodeBlue because it sounded cool and matches our school's colors.

[edit] CodeBlue Table of Contents

Perspectives - A collection of student perspectives on entering medical school

Student Life - Things you need to know to survive being a medical student
- Things to Do Before Starting School - Stuff to do before July
- Orientation - Orientation information and scheduling
- Events - Description of events that occur throughout the year
- People to Know - The people that work behind the scenes to make med school possible
- SOM Offices - Descriptions of the different offices and what they do
- Student Activities - Descriptions of student activities and organizations
- Publications - Descriptions of various publications around Case

The WR2 Curriculum
- Pre-WR2 - Information about the curriculum that was before the change in 2006
- Academic Resources - Useful academic tools at your disposal
- Grading System - Explanation of how you are graded as a CaseMed Student
- ePortal - Explanation of your main gateway to CaseMed Resources
- eCurriculum - Explanation the system containing course schedules and reading assignments
- eAssessment - Explanation of the system by which you complete assignments and exams
- ePortfolio - Explanation of the system that compiles all your work, come time for Dean's Letters
- Online Resources - Virtual Microscope, AccessMedicine, Up-to-Date, Pub-Med, etc.
- Textbooks - Description of how we use textbooks in WR2 and a link to the Book List
- Note-taking Service & Official Learning Objectives

CCLCM Curriculum - Description of the CCLCM College Program
- Student Perspectives - What students have to say about life at CCLCM
- Academic Resources - How to get things done
- Grading System - Explanation of the unique grading system at CCLCM
- Courses - Brief descriptions of the coursework undertaken by CCLCM students

Information about Case Western Reserve Campus
- Campus Services - Post Office, Bookstore, ID's, Parking, Loan Checks, Support Services, Student Center, Building Access/CaseOne Card, Email Accounts
- Libraries
  - On-campus Libraries - Descriptions and links
  - Off-campus Libraries - Descriptions and links
- Places to Study
- Bookstores
- Food/Drinks Near Campus
  - Restaurants - Main Campus, University Hospitals, Cleveland Clinic
  - Cofeee & Tea
  - Bars
- Transportation
  - Directions to Campus - Via Plane, Bus, Train, or Car; Visitor Parking
  - Public Transit - Services around Campus and Cleveland; Taxi and Limo Information