Andy Jou
B.S. Molecular and Integrated Physiology
University of Illinois - Urbana, Champaign
Currently matriculating at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville, Missouri - Class of 2008
Hi everyone. So as the unofficial "webmaster" for this site, I thought I'd write a little bit about myself. I'm originally from Buffalo, New York but I remember more from growing up in Libertyville, Illinois. Its a north suburb of Chicago if you're from Illinois, and basically Chicago if you're not from Illinois (or from any part of Illinois south of I-80). I went to Libertyville High School when it was just the Brainerd Building and the Butler Building before "The Big Split". After graduating in 1998, I went to the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (with about 100-some people from my graduating class). I received my Bachelor's of Science in Molecular and Integrated Physiology (when you could actually still get an undergraduate degree in that) in 2002 with a minor in Chemistry. My undergraduate career was by far the most fun and the most stressful time of my life.
While I attempted to study for my courses I had several jobs in various clinical settings. I volunteered with Illini Emergency Medical Services which, in my opinion has got to be one of the best campus EMS groups out there. I also worked as an EMT and an ER tech for the last three years of my undergrad and eventually received my paramedic license in June 2002. I received my CPR-Instructor license in 1999 and have since taught CPR and CPR-Instructor courses for IEMS and the University's Division of Campus Recreation. All this gave me additional opportunities to volunteer in larger organizations such as the American Heart Association's Operation: Heartbeat and the Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team.
While getting involved with so many awesome clinical opportunities was a
great experience, it really
came at the cost of my academics. After applying for admission to medical school in 2001, I took the 2002-2003
academic year off to work and sort out what I was going to do for the rest of my
life. Continuing to work really made it clear that my future was in
medicine. So, I decided that I would need to apply to graduate schools
before tackling the medical school admissions process again. I was
incredibly fortunate to find the CAM program at Georgetown. My interest in
CAM stemmed from observing its usage in the patient population that I
saw in the ambulance and the emergency room. To see CAM modalities
permeate rural (or urban as the natives call it) Illinois really showed me that these practices are rapidly
entering conventional medicine. Feeling rather unprepared to provide care
for these patients, I saw this Master's Program as a perfect opportunity for me
to gain a solid background in such a unique field before reapplying to medical
school.
I recently finished the first quarter of coursework here in Kirksville and am still amazed at how much studying I did. I distinctly remember hearing that I would be studying day and night but never fathomed it to be so true. The first quarter was rigorous consisting of Anatomy I, Biochemistry I, Histology/Embryology I, Osteopathic Theory and Methods I, and The Complete DOctor I. However, I was ecstatic to discover that Biochemistry I closely mirrored the Fundamentals of Biochemistry course taught by Dr. Sherman in the fall. Although the course here was significantly more detailed, it gave me a strong foundation for some more advanced topics discussed in the KCOM curriculum.
The schedule for the second quarter is fairly similar in that all the first quarter courses continue into the second quarter. However, we also are taking Physiology I in addition to all the level II courses. Again, I am fortunate to have been given a strong background in the Fundamentals of Physiology course taught in the spring. After a quick glance, the syllabus for Physiology I is nearly identical to that of its Georgetown counterpart.
In addition to the courses here, I am involved in several aspects of the College. I am work with the Student Government as a class representative and also coordinate the lecture noteservice for our class. In addition, I am active in several interest groups including the student branch of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP), Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA), and the Sports Medicine Club.
If you have any questions regarding the Georgetown CAM program, KCOM, or osteopathic medicine in general, I invite you to contact me via e-mail.