Hey all, just wanted to start a discussion for those accepted to or waiting for Nevada! I am not sure if I want to go there or not, but I figured no one else would start a thread for that school if I didn't. I know I'm definitely considering UNSOM, since Nevada is my home state!

Any opinions would be welcome, as the school isn't exactly forthcoming with useful information about their programs, etc.

Hey all, just wanted to start a discussion for those accepted to or waiting for Nevada! I am not sure if I want to go there or not, but I figured no one else would start a thread for that school if I didn't. I know I'm definitely considering UNSOM, since Nevada is my home state!

Any opinions would be welcome, as the school isn't exactly forthcoming with useful information about their programs, etc.


I too am interested in more info on UNR. I'm waitlisted there and trying to decide between it and another bigger school much farther away...a hard choice. I'm right on the fence and need someone to talk me into writing a letter of intent.
Also, does anyone know about movement on the alternate list?

I'm very interested too. I actually haven't even been there. I interviewed in Las Vegas and thus far have been ridiculously disappointed in the way they run their admissions office. Yet, it's my homestate too and regardless of what most people say on this forum...tuition matters! I'm gonna try to head up there in April to check it out in person and wait and see how I make out from the other interviews I have had, but there is a decent chance I will be there in the fall. Anyone have any idea on their match rates? It seems to me like they go out of their way to hide any relavant information on the school!

It seems to me like they go out of their way to hide any relavant information on the school!

Glad I wasn't the only one that noticed this--It kind of seemed like a red flag to me. But it may be that they are just small/understaffed/lazy. As others have said, the in-state tuition is pretty sweet, but I'd like to know more about the quality of the program first. Which other schools are you guys considering?

Also, does anyone know if there's any kind of second look weekend?

Hi. Yeah, I was accepted to UNR last week, and I'm kind of agonizing over whether or not to go. I'm from Nevada, but the curriculum is so uninspired! And the students are in class almost 30 hours a week if not more. I'm not saying that I don't expect to work my butt off, but... 30 hours a week? When I was at the interview, the guy who gave me a tour said that UNR's match results were as good as Georgetown's, the other school where he was accepted. I don't know where he got those figures.

Hi. Yeah, I was accepted to UNR last week, and I'm kind of agonizing over whether or not to go. I'm from Nevada, but the curriculum is so uninspired! And the students are in class almost 30 hours a week if not more. I'm not saying that I don't expect to work my butt off, but... 30 hours a week? When I was at the interview, the guy who gave me a tour said that UNR's match results were as good as Georgetown's, the other school where he was accepted. I don't know where he got those figures.


Their match list is in the sticky thread about residency. It's pretty ok I guess...Oddly, they produce more psychiatrists than any other school I've seen (percentage wise). Their match list isn't as good as the other school I'm into, but I dunno, it looks like some people do well from there.

Re: the second look weekend. I called a lady in the admissions office, and they said nothing was planned. Does it seem like they make no effort to make you want to go to the school? I later talked to a friend who's at UNR SOM, and he said the second look weekend was two weeks ago. Boo.

The other school where I interviewed, Penn State, knocked themselves out to create a fantastic day. Of course, if I were to receive $40,000 a year for an out-of-stater, I'd be working pretty hard myself.

Well, one thing that's pretty nice about UNR is you have the chance to really stick out. Not only are you in a small class of, what, 60? You're a face and a name. If you're smart and you study hard, you'll have a good rank in the class (since they still use grades and not a Pass/No Pass system).

OK, I now have it on good authority that they did in fact have a welcome weekend--last week! F**kers. :mad: :mad:

Also, this person (A current student) told me that they do in fact send relevant information--AFTER May 15. Somehow, this person's insistence that the whole situation turns into sunshine and lollipops after we're already trapped there just doesn't seem to hold water to me.

UT-Houston is looking more attractive every day, out-of-state tuition or not! :rolleyes:

This school continues to amaze me. I mean really, what is the point of holding second look prior to admitting 1/3 of the class? Also, how hard is it to report some stats to US News and World Report? Everyone else seems to do it. And I'm not going to even touch relavant information coming post May 15th...because that just seems too farfetched to be true. Put together this with the other "wonderful" interactions I've had with this school so far, and I am a bit scared. But I have talked to some students and doctors who are graduates and they all seem to talk really highly of the school. Do you think it's just cause they have nothing to compare it too?

Re: the second look weekend. I called a lady in the admissions office, and they said nothing was planned. Does it seem like they make no effort to make you want to go to the school? I later talked to a friend who's at UNR SOM, and he said the second look weekend was two weeks ago. Boo.

The other school where I interviewed, Penn State, knocked themselves out to create a fantastic day. Of course, if I were to receive $40,000 a year for an out-of-stater, I'd be working pretty hard myself.

Don't be too disappointed. It was more like a second look day, on a Thursday no less. I didn't attend because I'm waitlisted and only accepted folks were invited, but my boyfriend did go. He said that it was essentially an information session like other schools do during their interview days. Sounded pretty informative, anyway, but I'm not sure you missed much...

What are all the UNR accepties stats. Im from NV with a 38 and they told me to beat it.

Also, the second look thing you are talking about is only for those students accepted out of the first pool of applicants (from what I've heard). It's more of a recruiting visit for the accepties with exceptional stats to try and sway them towards UNR. Also, usually the first third of waitlisted people get in. Its around 20 people on the alternate list, so 6 or 7 get in off the list. You can also find their match lists on the UNR website if you look around.

Here's the most recent

http://asa.med.unr.edu/goodresults2004.htm

What are all the UNR accepties stats. Im from NV with a 38 and they told me to beat it.



:thumbdown Wow! and I was mad that I didn't get accepted in the first round with a 36. Nevada is stupid! I hope (and I am sure) that you got in somewhere else and probably a better place anyways!

What a bunch of *****es...how egalitarian of them not to invite us 'bottom of the barrel' people. Well they can go screw themselves, I got interviewed at lots of top schools. I honestly don't know what they're looking for or how they operate!

I don't really know how UNSOM operates either. I had the most unorganized interview day - ever. I was contacted the MORNING of my interview day with information regarding my second interview (the student interview), and my faculty interview was scheduled the DAY BEFORE it happened. Granted I live in Las Vegas, so it's not a huge deal. For those of you who didn't interview in Vegas, you don't get the whole interview day type experience like at other schools. You have two scheduled interviews - you show up and do you thing. No lunch, no fin aid talk, no dean talk because obviously you're in Vegas and not in Reno at the actual school.

Any way, so both of my interviewers were very late. Check this out: 1:00 PM I had my faculty interview, and at 2:30 was my student interview in the same building. Well, like most people would do during a MED SCHOOL interview, I turned my cell phone off from 1:00 PM onward. Uh, apparently, during my first interview, they called me and left a message saying that my 2:30 PM student interview had been moved to 3:00 PM. Well, I got out of my 1:00 PM interview at 2:00 PM, so I basically just got a sip of water and headed over to my next interview and sat outside the office. I sat and sat and at 3:20 PM, I asked the clueless staff what was up. They figured it out after some investigation, and finally at like 3:30 we began my student interview.

Oh well, you know. I understand people get behind and trauma surgeons (my faculty interviewer) have every right to be late given their profession.

In any event, I was accepted in January and have received the full tuition scholarship.

I am completely confused as to whether I should go or not. I don't like Reno as a city, and the class size of 52 is a bit too small for me. The letter grading and 30 hours of lecture weekly are both negatives in my book. Further, there isn't a teaching hospital close to the medical school. Right?

BUT, I totally understand what all of you are saying about the amazing tuition. Every physician I've spoken to says once we're docs, we'll pay off our debt from other schools in no time. It's still scary though.

To add to the confusion, half of the doctors I talk to say UNSOM is "sh*t," and the others say it's a "good" place. All of these physicians practice in Nevada, so they know what they're talking about.

Lastly, some of the physicians I've spoken to have made the comment, "you'll have your M.D. after your name, not 'M.D. Harvard/Yale/Columbia,' just a plain M.D. period." LOL, thought that was funny.

And I keep hearing no one will give a sh*t about where you go. They'll care about where you did your residency & fellowship only - but doesn't the school you go to have a large impact on your residency placement?

This'll be a hard fricken decision.

Rejected 4 MONTHS after interviewing, I had a hard time staying sad for long. I started off excited about... THE TUITION (and, what the hell, going to the same school as someone as cool as Carbon!) Then, after the cluster F**K of an admissions office, the lack of communication, and the general "you should BE so blessed!" attitude, the blow was, shall we say, CONSIDERABLY softened.

Other interview experiences, and other admissions offices have really shown me what i was missing out on, when dealing with UNSOM. Nevada's state government at its finest, operating at max capacity no doubt. Whatever.

I don't feel robbed, I feel irritated that they took so long to figure it out.

What are all the UNR accepties stats. Im from NV with a 38 and they told me to beat it.

Also, the second look thing you are talking about is only for those students accepted out of the first pool of applicants (from what I've heard). It's more of a recruiting visit for the accepties with exceptional stats to try and sway them towards UNR. Also, usually the first third of waitlisted people get in. Its around 20 people on the alternate list, so 6 or 7 get in off the list. You can also find their match lists on the UNR website if you look around.

Here's the most recent

http://asa.med.unr.edu/goodresults2004.htm


Rejected with at 38, are you kidding? That's crazy! Are you from Nevada? What was your undergrad GPA?

Well, I talked with a second-year at UNSOM for about 40 minutes last night, and it sounds like an all right place to go to. Maybe I'm being simplistic, and I could be uninformed, but I think I'm going to go there.

I'm from Reno and I know my way around the town, which has it's own level of comfort, and I really like the idea of having my teachers know me well. My friend that I talked to last night said the had weekly meetings with his Biochem and Histology professors. There are chances to get involved in lots of different things, since there are so few students.

I'm going to talk to many more people before I make my final decision, but really, how bad can it be? Also, I want to go into family medicine, and just about any school will prepare me adequately for that (of course, some more adequately than others). If I was aiming for radiology or dermatology, I would consider other schools, but I'm not and I don't want to be paying for my education forever. Are there really any awful Allopathic medical schools in the United States?

I've NEVER heard a doctor say that you pay of your loans quickly. They all moan about how it took forever (unless you're going into a specialty where they need people badly and a hospital will pay your loans for you if you join their team). Again, I think it depends on where you want to go. Nevada's SOM is working hard to create primary-care physicians who will stay in the state.

I've wondered about how the residency placement works too, but I think it's a lot more egalitarian than the original Medical School application. I mean, smart people do well on their boards, regardless of where they go to school. I've heard your clerkships and your interviews are the major part of getting residency placement, and not your school. On the other hand, I would think that an applicant from UCSF has a leg up on the UNSOM candidate, but you never know.

There isn't a teaching hospital nearby, as far as I know, but there are lots of preceptorships available, and isn't there that free clinic where you have to volunteer?

For me, it would be hard to turn down a full-ride. I agree with what some of the physicians you spoke with said. A doctor is a doctor. :luck:

Well, I talked with a second-year at UNSOM for about 40 minutes last night, and it sounds like an all right place to go to. Maybe I'm being simplistic, and I could be uninformed, but I think I'm going to go there.

I'm from Reno and I know my way around the town, which has it's own level of comfort, and I really like the idea of having my teachers know me well. My friend that I talked to last night said the had weekly meetings with his Biochem and Histology professors. There are chances to get involved in lots of different things, since there are so few students.

I'm going to talk to many more people before I make my final decision, but really, how bad can it be? Also, I want to go into family medicine, and just about any school will prepare me adequately for that (of course, some more adequately than others). If I was aiming for radiology or dermatology, I would consider other schools, but I'm not and I don't want to be paying for my education forever. Are there really any awful Allopathic medical schools in the United States?


I noticed a very "Stepford Wives" kind of attitude among the UNSOM students, it's like they've been brainwashed into liking it or something.

I'm not saying that I wouldn't go there over their reputation, which I think is pretty ok. I'm saying I wouldn't go there because more and more, I can see it being my own personal hell for the next four years.

That said, I am getting sick of Texas, and I like Las Vegas a lot. :cool:

Ambs, congrats on the full ride! you are awesome! :love:

Rejected with at 38, are you kidding? That's crazy! Are you from Nevada? What was your undergrad GPA?

Yup, NV resident. My undergrad GPA was 3.15, but I did good in hard sciences. My grad GPA is 3.5 at Purdue. Finish my masters in two months.

Are you saying that every UNSOM student you've talked to has no criticism at all of the program? Because that's ridiculous. You know you can live in Vegas your second two years, right?

Are you saying that every UNSOM student you've talked to has no criticism at all of the program? Because that's ridiculous. You know you can live in Vegas your second two years, right?


I've talked to 5 UNSOM students and gotten gushing about how wonderful the school is in every possible way, and very little else. When asked about downsides, they make excuses, mostly about how 'busy' the office supposedly is! With less than 1000 applicants and 52 in each class, this is hard to believe. UT-Houston sent me tons of information, always is helpful, etc. and they had over 2000 applicants and a class of over 200.

I know that only the 2nd two years are in Las Vegas :(

You think there is anyway we can get them to host a second look? Loke if a bunch of us start making requests? Probably not...but I would really like to go up there with some other prespective students where we get a chance to tour the school and speak with some current students. Any ideas?

Well, I think I'm going the weekend of April 8. April 8 is a Friday, so I can attend some classes, and see what I think. It seems reasonable that if a bunch of us went, we could maybe talk to some students at lunch or something. Would anyone else be able to come that weekend? Even if it was just you and me, kwc, we could at least talk to my friends who are there now.

As for getting a financial aid talk, etc., I wouldn't count on that.

Does anyone know how intense the course load will be? When I toured UNR everyone looked really stressed out, and someone even told me not to come to UNR. But I am really torn because I looked at the schedule and there is about an exam every week and sometimes even two a week. What’s people opinion about UNR working there students so hard when it’s not even a top rated school? I'm considering going to UNR but I want to do my residency in Southern California and I'm worried that UNR's reputation is not that great it will lower my chances of getting into a matching residency program? But I do like the fact that tuition is really reasonable. Please help…

We should all go to UNR and tour it one more time.

Well, I think I'm going the weekend of April 8. April 8 is a Friday, so I can attend some classes, and see what I think. It seems reasonable that if a bunch of us went, we could maybe talk to some students at lunch or something. Would anyone else be able to come that weekend? Even if it was just you and me, kwc, we could at least talk to my friends who are there now.

As for getting a financial aid talk, etc., I wouldn't count on that.


I'll definitely check and see if I can make it that day and let you know. I think they would have to do something if we could get a group of 5-6 people so show up on the same day...

Does anyone know how intense the course load will be? When I toured UNR everyone looked really stressed out, and someone even told me not to come to UNR. But I am really torn because I looked at the schedule and there is about an exam every week and sometimes even two a week. What’s people opinion about UNR working there students so hard when it’s not even a top rated school? I'm considering going to UNR but I want to do my residency in Southern California and I'm worried that UNR's reputation is not that great it will lower my chances of getting into a matching residency program? But I do like the fact that tuition is really reasonable. Please help…

We should all go to UNR and tour it one more time.
I think Jon (my friend) said that there's about a test a week, and at one point (finals?) the tests went Monday, Friday, Monday, Friday ad nauseum. He said the course load settles down after first semester, but that first semester you go to class from 8 or 9 a.m. to 3 with an hour lunch. He also said that he studied a ton, but didn't study to exclusion of other things, so he still saw his family and went out some. He got straight B's that semester.

I don't know about the residency thing. Could you talk to a UNSOM alum about that?

Does anyone know how intense the course load will be? When I toured UNR everyone looked really stressed out, and someone even told me not to come to UNR. But I am really torn because I looked at the schedule and there is about an exam every week and sometimes even two a week. What’s people opinion about UNR working there students so hard when it’s not even a top rated school? I'm considering going to UNR but I want to do my residency in Southern California and I'm worried that UNR's reputation is not that great it will lower my chances of getting into a matching residency program? But I do like the fact that tuition is really reasonable. Please help…

We should all go to UNR and tour it one more time.

I have no idea about work load and it's one of the things I am pretty interested in finding out about...that being said, name a university where you won't have to work your ***** off. We all have to take the same boards in the end. But as far as repuation goes, I actually I think UNR's repuation (on the West Coast especially) is pretty decent. I mean with a class of only 52, you are getting some pretty good exposure. My issues with it at this point, I think, have more to do with it being a state school (and NV is more or less a 3rd world country) and the way we wil be treated while we are there. Some of the much more expensive private schools are gonna have a great support network for students, better technology, and less bureaucracy along the way. Anyone have any idea about a notetaking services there? Do they post lectures online? Lecture notes online?

I have some idea why the students might look overburdened--the MS I's are enrolled in 8 classes simultaneously when they start school. Check out their curriculum.

Curriculum looks interesting, though.

BuMp--Represent for the silver state, yo.

BuMp--Represent for the silver state, yo.

Where do I find the curriculum for UNSOM?

Where do I find the curriculum for UNSOM?


Even if there are only like 4 of us on this post, I kinda like it. Here's the link to the curriculum: http://meded2.med.unr.edu/Curriculum/

Even if there are only like 4 of us on this post, I kinda like it. Here's the link to the curriculum: http://meded2.med.unr.edu/Curriculum/

Thanks for that link. Am I the only one who gets a thrill at looking at the stuff we're going to learn? It's so awesome! There's so much we're going to have to know, and I can't wait. :D

Hello fellow Premeds,

Looking forward to the possibility of being classmates with some of you! As for now, though, I have also been debating whether to attend UNSOM '09 or not. Location issues in Reno aside, as some of you have mentioned, my main concern is also the way the curriculum is structured (8 concurrent classes).

I know that being in medical school = lots of hard work all the time and that choosing the easy way out should never be the main selection criteria for your MD program, but I am doubtful that being hammered with 8 subjects concurrently is the most efficient way of learning and retaining information (and doing well on the Boards). I mean, just trying to imagine how many books would be laid out on my desk when I'm studying each day gives me the chills already.

I love learning, and I can't wait to start medical school, but wouldn't you agree that the alternative block system where you mainly focus on understanding one subject at a time, all the time, then move on to the next would be the better way to go? The distraction involved in keeping track of 8 subjects at a time seems a little inefficient, but this is all speculation on my part for now. I think I'll call my peer contact and see what they have to say... who knows, maybe being hammered with everything all at the same time is the way to go? Any thoughts?

Medfish
So. Cal

Hello fellow Premeds,

Looking forward to the possibility of being classmates with some of you! As for now, though, I have also been debating whether to attend UNSOM '09 or not. Location issues in Reno aside, as some of you have mentioned, my main concern is also the way the curriculum is structured (8 concurrent classes).

I know that being in medical school = lots of hard work all the time and that choosing the easy way out should never be the main selection criteria for your MD program, but I am doubtful that being hammered with 8 subjects concurrently is the most efficient way of learning and retaining information (and doing well on the Boards). I mean, just trying to imagine how many books would be laid out on my desk when I'm studying each day gives me the chills already.

I love learning, and I can't wait to start medical school, but wouldn't you agree that the alternative block system where you mainly focus on understanding one subject at a time, all the time, then move on to the next would be the better way to go? The distraction involved in keeping track of 8 subjects at a time seems a little inefficient, but this is all speculation on my part for now. I think I'll call my peer contact and see what they have to say... who knows, maybe being hammered with everything all at the same time is the way to go? Any thoughts?

Medfish
So. Cal

Well, there's no doubt that the block system is a better way to learn. I mean, even the people at UNR wish that the curriculum is structured that way. (Doesn't everyone want to learn via the block system?) What my friend at UNSOM said is that you end up making the connections between the subjects on your own, rather than having them presented to you as would be done in the block system.

As for 8 subjects at once, you just deal with it, I guess. I think it might have a negative effect on board scores, but what do I know?

How do UNSOM do on the boards comparatively? Anyone have an idea on pass rates or avg. scores?

How do UNSOM do on the boards comparatively? Anyone have an idea on pass rates or avg. scores?


I have no clue. Maybe all that info comes in that super package you get after 5/15, once you're locked in. You know the office won't tell. UNSOM is the only school I know of where people have to repeat a year, like grammar school.

Hey Guys,

Well, from looking at their residency match list UNSOM students must have done decently or okay on their Boards. But whether they are accepted into one of their top residency choices is an unknown statistic. Does anyone have this information? In the mean time I will try to track down my peer contact and see what i can find out. :)

Hey Guys,

Well, from looking at their residency match list UNSOM students must have done decently or okay on their Boards. But whether they are accepted into one of their top residency choices is an unknown statistic. Does anyone have this information? In the mean time I will try to track down my peer contact and see what i can find out. :)


You could also try contacting Linda Marshall, since she's the admissions co-ordinator. I'll e-mail her tonight and see what she has to say. I'm also trying to get in touch with two UNSOM grads, and they could probably tell me a lot more.

Btw who is going to UNSOM for sure? And if still undecided, what other programs are you considering and why?

Myself - VCU (virginia commonwealth) - great clinical exposure, large teaching hospital, block curriculum, 86% match into top 3 residency prog. Downs: high tuition & far from home.

Btw who is going to UNSOM for sure? And if still undecided, what other programs are you considering and why?

Myself - VCU (virginia commonwealth) - great clinical exposure, large teaching hospital, block curriculum, 86% match into top 3 residency prog. Downs: high tuition & far from home.


I'm pretty sure I'm going to UNSOM, but I'm also considering Penn State. The considerations are practically identical to yours, except that the location of Penn State (Hershey) is abysmal. Plus, I have no family out there. But the program is exactly what I'd want for my medical training. As you can see, I'm torn.

I'm considering UNSOM. But, I'm also considering UW-Madison and Wake Forest. The only reason I'm still holding onto UNSOM is that I, by some miracle, have received a full tuition scholarship. I know quite a few people who are first, second, or third years at UNSOM. They all agree that the curriculum is lecture heavy and intense, but I can't say much about residency placemement yet. When I toured the school, I was impressed by their medical education building, specifically the classroom for first years is nice.

But, does anyone know or remember of a teaching hospital close to the medical school?

I guess we can all bury the "I can't stand the gloomy, boring city of Reno" complaint and be rest assured that Vegas is always an option for third & fourth years.

An interesting comment a couple of my first-year UNSOM friends made was that they have to try extra hard to remain at the very top of their class, and the added pressure of letter grading makes it very stressful. And of course the whole reason to aspire to be at the top of the class is to stand out as an exceptional applicant coming from a so-so school.

I'm considering UNSOM. But, I'm also considering UW-Madison and Wake Forest. The only reason I'm still holding onto UNSOM is that I, by some miracle, have received a full tuition scholarship.

Congrats! That's really impressive! Did you have to apply for the scholarship? Or did they present it to with your initial offer?

Btw who is going to UNSOM for sure? And if still undecided, what other programs are you considering and why?

Myself - VCU (virginia commonwealth) - great clinical exposure, large teaching hospital, block curriculum, 86% match into top 3 residency prog. Downs: high tuition & far from home.


LOL, I think it's funny that we're all considering out-of-state public schools. Univ. of Texas at Houston here. Excellent clinical exposure (i.e., the texas medical center :D), awesomre match stats, and the city of houston.

Downsides are pretty much what you've said...my whole family's out west, and the out-of-state tuition is burdensome.

I guess we're all in the same boat lol... that's sorta strange but comforting in a way. :cool:

So... here is a followup question: What will you need to find out about UNSOM during this count down in order for you to go there?

Again myself - that taking 8 courses at a time is actually a blessing in disguise. I guess when I interviewed at the Reno campus I ran into a bunch of current students that told me not to go there and that they're in hell (my tour guide obviously wasn't too happy with that situation). I also saw half the M1 class sleeping in one of the libraries, each student lying in their pile of books... But, each class culture is different - it could have been 'drama' week? Who knows...

I guess we're all in the same boat lol... that's sorta strange but comforting in a way. :cool:

So... here is a followup question: What will you need to find out about UNSOM during this count down in order for you to go there?

Again myself - that taking 8 courses at a time is actually a blessing in disguise. I guess when I interviewed at the Reno campus I ran into a bunch of current students that told me not to go there and that they're in hell (my tour guide obviously wasn't too happy with that situation). I also saw half the M1 class sleeping in one of the libraries, each student lying in their pile of books... But, each class culture is different - it could have been 'drama' week? Who knows...


Well, I think it's obvious that the first year is the worst. That's what my interviewer told me: that she and the other MSIIs laughed at the first years because they're all so stressed out.

What will it take for me to go there? Another look, definitely, and talking with some residents who graduated from UNSOM telling me they made the right choice. Also, I want to talk to a girl who got into UNSOM and Penn State and chose UNSOM. (This girl exists, btw.)

When did you interview? When I was there (January), the library was empty. As a corollary, that library is pathetic. As a library lover (and the fact that I study at the incredible UCSF library now), this was a disappointment.

I didn't interview at UNSOM because I don't like the curriculum, but I did live in Reno for 20 years, and just wanted to throw out that the city really isn't a bad place to be. It's not New York or DC or San Francisco, but it's also not Winston-Salem or Raleigh-Durham. The casinos and other touristy parts of the city means that there's a lot to do for a city of 300 or 400,000. Also, outdoor opporunities are better than any school I've visited. Just wanted to say a bit to defend my city. ;)

If anyone has questions about the city, feel free to PM me, and I'll try to answer. Best of luck to all of you in deciding where to go, and congrats to all of you with multiple acceptances. :thumbup:

I didn't interview at UNSOM because I don't like the curriculum, but I did live in Reno for 20 years, and just wanted to throw out that the city really isn't a bad place to be. It's not New York or DC or San Francisco, but it's also not Winston-Salem or Raleigh-Durham. The casinos and other touristy parts of the city means that there's a lot to do for a city of 300 or 400,000. Also, outdoor opporunities are better than any school I've visited. Just wanted to say a bit to defend my city. ;)

If anyone has questions about the city, feel free to PM me, and I'll try to answer. Best of luck to all of you in deciding where to go, and congrats to all of you with multiple acceptances. :thumbup:


I'd agree. I lived in Reno through high school, and returned for a bit after college. One thing that's drawing me toward Reno, as opposed to Penn State, is that it's close to San Francisco, which is where I live now, and it's my favorite city in the universe.

The weather isn't bad, if you like seasons, and there are cool places to go besides the casinos. Also, cost of living is cheaper.

I interviewed last November, and yea the library looked quite inadequate. I still have no luck reaching my peer contact over the last two days... hope that means he's skiing somewhere. :D

Well, I think it's obvious that the first year is the worst. That's what my interviewer told me: that she and the other MSIIs laughed at the first years because they're all so stressed out.

What will it take for me to go there? Another look, definitely, and talking with some residents who graduated from UNSOM telling me they made the right choice. Also, I want to talk to a girl who got into UNSOM and Penn State and chose UNSOM. (This girl exists, btw.)

When did you interview? When I was there (January), the library was empty. As a corollary, that library is pathetic. As a library lover (and the fact that I study at the incredible UCSF library now), this was a disappointment.

I didn't interview at UNSOM because I don't like the curriculum, but I did live in Reno for 20 years, and just wanted to throw out that the city really isn't a bad place to be. It's not New York or DC or San Francisco, but it's also not Winston-Salem or Raleigh-Durham. The casinos and other touristy parts of the city means that there's a lot to do for a city of 300 or 400,000. Also, outdoor opporunities are better than any school I've visited. Just wanted to say a bit to defend my city. ;)

If anyone has questions about the city, feel free to PM me, and I'll try to answer. Best of luck to all of you in deciding where to go, and congrats to all of you with multiple acceptances. :thumbup:

300-400,000? :laugh: Where are you getting your population data?

300-400,000? :laugh: Where are you getting your population data?

Who knew Reno was such a metropolis?

Congrats! That's really impressive! Did you have to apply for the scholarship? Or did they present it to with your initial offer?

Thanks!

I didn't apply for the scholarship. I got my acceptance in January, and the scholarship offer arrived early March. :)

Well, I think it's obvious that the first year is the worst. That's what my interviewer told me: that she and the other MSIIs laughed at the first years because they're all so stressed out.

What will it take for me to go there? Another look, definitely, and talking with some residents who graduated from UNSOM telling me they made the right choice. Also, I want to talk to a girl who got into UNSOM and Penn State and chose UNSOM. (This girl exists, btw.)

When did you interview? When I was there (January), the library was empty. As a corollary, that library is pathetic. As a library lover (and the fact that I study at the incredible UCSF library now), this was a disappointment.


See, that's the thing: students at UNSOM are incredibly stressed out. This is in rather striking contrast to other schools I interviewed at. I've visited UNSOM twice, at different times of the year, and most--not all--first years were oozing of stress.

And about the library - it surely leaves a lot to be desired. I'm also a big library person, so that was a bit disappointing. I like to study in coffee shops too, though.

Hi People,

Well, finally reached my peer contact and spoke on the phone with him for about an hour. I think he clarified a lot of assumptions and unknowns regarding the curriculum and stress level. From what I can remember from the conversation, things sounded pretty good. Lecture notes are provided for you for every class. Biochem actually comes with a DVD where u can watch the lecture and learn the material at your own pace. Tests - lots of them - but they're more like quizzes, and all are multiple choice and lecture-based, roughly an hour long. The 8 concurrent classes issue... big one for me.... it's actually 5 core science classes that require 3-4 hours of studying a day in addition to 3 doctor\patient type ones that are very low stress - so pretty comparable to the work load for other programs. Students usually start their day around 8 am and end around noon or 3 pm... and these schedules alternate day to day. Finally, the exams seem to mimick the Boards, and match statistics for competitive residency programs have been strong.

I'm pretty encouraged by what he said...

Hi People,

Well, finally reached my peer contact and spoke on the phone with him for about an hour. I think he clarified a lot of assumptions and unknowns regarding the curriculum and stress level. From what I can remember from the conversation, things sounded pretty good. Lecture notes are provided for you for every class. Biochem actually comes with a DVD where u can watch the lecture and learn the material at your own pace. Tests - lots of them - but they're more like quizzes, and all are multiple choice and lecture-based, roughly an hour long. The 8 concurrent classes issue... big one for me.... it's actually 5 core science classes that require 3-4 hours of studying a day in addition to 3 doctor\patient type ones that are very low stress - so pretty comparable to the work load for other programs. Students usually start their day around 8 am and end around noon or 3 pm... and these schedules alternate day to day. Finally, the exams seem to mimick the Boards, and match statistics for competitive residency programs have been strong.

I'm pretty encouraged by what he said...

Awesome! Thanks for the info!

Congrats! That's really impressive! Did you have to apply for the scholarship? Or did they present it to with your initial offer?

Would you choose BU over UNSOM? (We both have a spot on the BU waitlist, and I think there's a good chance to get in off the BU waitlist since it's so small, so I was just curious to know what you think!)

Would you choose BU over UNSOM? (We both have a spot on the BU waitlist, and I think there's a good chance to get in off the BU waitlist since it's so small, so I was just curious to know what you think!)

I'm not sure. I am definitely keeping my name on the list at BU but haven't decided if I will go should I get in. I loved BU and Boston and much would rather spend the next four years there for a number of different reasons...but its so expensive! I think my parents will try really hard to get me to stay in Nevada...what about you?

I'm not sure. I am definitely keeping my name on the list at BU but haven't decided if I will go should I get in. I loved BU and Boston and much would rather spend the next four years there for a number of different reasons...but its so expensive! I think my parents will try really hard to get me to stay in Nevada...what about you?

I'm keeping my name on the list and don't know if I would go should I get in too, :laugh:

And yes, I too liked BU quite a bit and Boston would be a great place to be, except for the weather. My best friend goes to Harvard dental, and it would be great to go to med school in the same city as my best friend. Ah, and yeah Boston's damn expensive..

Personally, I am pretty torn up on UNSOM. I'm waiting on decisions post-interview from a couple of more schools, so once I have those in hand, I'll be better able to make a decision. Who knew every single step of this process would be this difficult!

Whoops - forgot to add the parents part. My parents want me to go where I "felt the best," though my dad does keep mentioning the UNSOM scholarship.

300-400,000? :laugh: Where are you getting your population data?
Do a quick google search for Reno metro population. Like here (http://www.censusscope.org/us/m6720/chart_popl.html)

Okay, sorry bjackrian, you were right about the population. I still hate reno though, it just seems so dull, and the people there kinda suck.

But I guess being from Elko originally, it can't be *that* bad :rolleyes:

Where in Nevada are you guys from? Las Vegas? I'll try to keep the bitter rural/northern nevada anti-Vegas senitment to a minimum :p

Yay! The Nevada thread is on its 4th page!! :clap: :horns: We ARE important, dammit!

Did you add Sparks into that population? It's basically Reno.

I'm from Vegas originally, and would love to know why northern NV folks have anti-vegas sentiments? :confused:

I'm from Vegas originally, and would love to know why northern NV folks have anti-vegas sentiments? :confused:

Because Vegas has all the hot chicks who know how to have a really, really ridiculously good time, myself included.

One thing I do miss about Reno are the football games, especially when UNLV was in town, those were some fun times.

I'm from Vegas originally, and would love to know why northern NV folks have anti-vegas sentiments? :confused:


People in the north, especially from rural (i.e. outside reno-sparks-carson) areas don't like Las Vegas because they see it as having all of the state's power, and as being a drain on the resources of the state. I have probably very little prejudice against Las Vegas, but that's because I realize that Clark County generates most of the state's revenue, and thus should have a lot of power. The one thing that annoys me about LV is that the people there have recently moved in for the most part, and so they don't understand state politics as well as others who have been there for a longer time. Also, people in Las Vegas tend to think that rural Nevada is just a useless wasteland, so I guess it goes both ways. Just my .02.

People in the north, especially from rural (i.e. outside reno-sparks-carson) areas don't like Las Vegas because they see it as having all of the state's power, and as being a drain on the resources of the state. I have probably very little prejudice against Las Vegas, but that's because I realize that Clark County generates most of the state's revenue, and thus should have a lot of power. The one thing that annoys me about LV is that the people there have recently moved in for the most part, and so they don't understand state politics as well as others who have been there for a longer time. Also, people in Las Vegas tend to think that rural Nevada is just a useless wasteland, so I guess it goes both ways. Just my .02.


Yeah, that's what I've always heard about why the North hates us too. As someone who is from Vegas, I kind of think it's a little overrated. There's a lot of money here and not too much emphasis on education. It can get really trying to explain to people why I opted to go back East to school over and over again. That being said, it could be a lot worse. We have great shopping, restaurants, and all my friends from college are always dying to come out and visit. Plus you can fly almost anywhere in the country direct (and cheap!). Really, I don't think Reno or Vegas will be that big of deal if there are decent people in our class. If you are stuck with 50+ gunners it will suck no matter the location.

Yeah, that's what I've always heard about why the North hates us too. As someone who is from Vegas, I kind of think it's a little overrated. There's a lot of money here and not too much emphasis on education. It can get really trying to explain to people why I opted to go back East to school over and over again. That being said, it could be a lot worse. We have great shopping, restaurants, and all my friends from college are always dying to come out and visit. Plus you can fly almost anywhere in the country direct (and cheap!). Really, I don't think Reno or Vegas will be that big of deal if there are decent people in our class. If you are stuck with 50+ gunners it will suck no matter the location.


A friend of mine (at UNSOM) said that most of his peers are pretty cool, because they're a little bit older. He was 24 when he matriculated, I'll be 25, and that's pretty average. He said he likes just about everyone in his class, except for two or three. That isn't bad. There's always going to be a few gunners in every class anyway, but it won't be as bad as Irvine.

Hi you three (or four),

I'm definitely going to visit UNSOM on Friday, April 8. I plan on visiting in the morning, because I want to go skiing in the afternoon. Is anyone else interested in coming? I think I'll just sit in on a few classes and talk to some students.

I'd go but that's when UT-Houston's welcome weekend is...I really don't know what I'm going to do! I guess hope to get off the WashU waitlist :confused:

Bump--Are you guys leaning toward or against Nevada? I'm still completely on the fence :confused:

I'm still totally on the fence too! I just got into to Drexel, am waitlisted at BU and still waiting to here from four more schools. Of those four, I've already decided that I will got to UNR over the two schools in NY that I interviewed at but there are two more (Temple and G-town) that I want to hear from before I really have to decide. That being said, my parents are really presuring me to go to Reno. They think it's silly to pay so much when in the end, it doesn't really matter. Even though, I am gonna pay for it myself...they will be hard to fight.

So no one wants to go to UNSOM or is sure that they're going there? That doesn't seem to bode well...

hey guys....

For anyone who is on the fence or worried about Nevada's reputation...I had a pretty interesting conversation today. I'm in Utah with my parents skiing this weekend and randomly ended up spending the day skiing with a guy who also has a place near their's. It turns out he is the Chairman of the Otholaryncology/Neurotology (probably just butchered the spelling) Department at U. Texas Southwestern. I think that's where Unconscious has been accecpted but I could be wrong...

Anyway, I had a long talk with him about how he chooses residents every year and what he looks for and he said he could careless where they went to medical school. He said he picked his soley on the basis of board scores and interviews. When I asked why he picked his medical school, he said it was cause they were charging him $900 a semester vs. private schools charging him $10,000 a semester.

As of now, I don't really have much interest in ENT but who knows....this was my first experience, however, with a residency director. And he made it pretty clear that unless I want to go into research/academic medicine....nobody cares where you go. I still don't have a clue what I will do...but I thought this might help you guys a little who are worried about what will happen if you give yourself over to Reno.

Thanks kwc1979 for that post!

That being said, I'm STILL confused about all of this, and I don't think it's UNSOM's reputation that's holding me back, either. :confused:

Hi Guys,

I've decided to attend UNSOM. Academically speaking, it won't be more stressful than at other programs. Med school is hard, period. And personally, the tuition, environment and current student satisfaction with the program are all factors that have convinced me to go.

Good luck everyone!

Medfish

Congrats on your decision, medfish! Maybe I'll see you there next year. :D

Hi Guys,

I've decided to attend UNSOM. Academically speaking, it won't be more stressful than at other programs. Med school is hard, period. And personally, the tuition, environment and current student satisfaction with the program are all factors that have convinced me to go.

Good luck everyone!

Medfish

Sweet, congrats on your decision! Now if only the rest of us could decide also...and do a pre-fall meet up in Reno possibly!

Sweet, congrats on your decision! Now if only the rest of us could decide also...and do a pre-fall meet up in Reno possibly!

I'm pretty much positive I'll be going to UNSOM as well, I'm just going to visit on Friday to tap the final nail into the coffin. I definitely think we should follow up on the pre-fall meet up.

One thing I do miss about Reno are the football games, especially when UNLV was in town, those were some fun times.


Who's this guy?

Who's this guy?

haha...i don't know. congrats on your decision! what made you decide?

haha...i don't know. congrats on your decision! what made you decide?


I don't really know. I just needed a while to let the idea "spin down" in my head (to use a centrifuge metaphor). Like I've said before, I want to be a family doctor and my family is either in Reno or in the bay area. Although I'd really love an adventure, my other option, Penn State is in Hershey, which is in a lousy location. I think that if I had a chance to go to Boston I might consider it. However, medical school is pretty high stress on its own, it isn't the best time for a huge change, and I think I'll appreciate the support of my family. UNSOM is going to give me all that I need, and I already have my bearings in Reno. I think it would be silly NOT to go to UNSOM if one were interested in primary care, particularly for you, with your full ride scholarship.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the supportive follow-ups! Yep, like Samwich I'm also very interested in primary care, so that's why UNSOM's rural rotations and electives are rather attractive and not negatives. I've spoken at length with a faculty physician who I volunteer for and who is also currently on the admissions committee for a family practice residency program here in Southern California, and he strongly recommended UNSOM's rural setting over large, inner-city schools for getting into primary care residency programs. He specifically mentioned that while almost everyone knows about the training that takes place at the Vegas UMC campus, which is itself very busy and urban, the rural aspect of the curriculum up north will make you that much more diverse and "interesting" as an applicant. This is all just his 2 cents, but since I'm insterested in doing my residency back here in Cali, his opinions are very valuable to me.

I hope what I've said above helps, and Samwich and others that have decided on UNSOM I'll try to meet up with you guys before the semester starts, but in any case, I'm really looking forward to med school and to get to know everyone...who knows, we might all be anatomy lab partners.. =P

Have a great week!
Medfish

Wanted to add that an MD degree from popular, top-ranked schools would still be your best bet for getting into any residency program...specialty or not(no-brainer there hehe)

My brother just matched into Stanford's Ophthalmology, and since I picked him up after his interview I was able to briefly meet some of the other interviewees. Out of 15+ total, half were from Harvard and the other half(including my brother) were from Hopkins.

I'm somewhat misanthropic and would probably suck at primary care. Do you guys think I should just go to UT-Houston, since more people there seem to match into specialty residencies? :confused: I mean, I am just not good at dealing with people, and I don't particularly like them.

Honestly, if you're specialty-oriented and as misanthropic as you believe you are, then a larger and more research-oriented medical school would probably be the way to go. I'm not familiar with UT-Houston's reputation, but I do know that in terms of my older sib's path to ophthalmology, he stayed competitive by publishing 2 papers while at Hopkins and carrying out a summer research in Alaska on possible genetic factors in glaucoma in the Eskimos. And when I interviewed there, my impression was that almost all students had some form of research involvement going on. Again going back to what I know for certain - if I have my eyes set on a competitive ophthalmology or derm residency program, I would probably decide on Virginia instead. But then again Reno's match results weren't terrible, either...

I'm somewhat misanthropic and would probably suck at primary care. Do you guys think I should just go to UT-Houston, since more people there seem to match into specialty residencies? :confused: I mean, I am just not good at dealing with people, and I don't particularly like them.

Hey, are any of you New Yorker readers?

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the supportive follow-ups! Yep, like Samwich I'm also very interested in primary care, so that's why UNSOM's rural rotations and electives are rather attractive and not negatives. I've spoken at length with a faculty physician who I volunteer for and who is also currently on the admissions committee for a family practice residency program here in Southern California, and he strongly recommended UNSOM's rural setting over large, inner-city schools for getting into primary care residency programs. He specifically mentioned that while almost everyone knows about the training that takes place at the Vegas UMC campus, which is itself very busy and urban, the rural aspect of the curriculum up north will make you that much more diverse and "interesting" as an applicant. This is all just his 2 cents, but since I'm insterested in doing my residency back here in Cali, his opinions are very valuable to me.

I hope what I've said above helps, and Samwich and others that have decided on UNSOM I'll try to meet up with you guys before the semester starts, but in any case, I'm really looking forward to med school and to get to know everyone...who knows, we might all be anatomy lab partners.. =P

Have a great week!
Medfish

Speaking of the anatomy lab, I heard that it was prosected. (I didn't get to see it because my student tour guide forgot his key.) Does that mean that we don't get to do any of the dissection, and it's all set up for us, like in Biology?

Hey, are any of you New Yorker readers?


Every now and then....is there something good we should read?

Every now and then....is there something good we should read?


Well, their "Annals of Medicine" articles are usually pretty good. I really enjoyed one that came out a few months ago about CF Clinics around the nation. I think that one was called "The Bell Curve". It basically discussed the art of medicine and how some physicians are more successful than others, even though they all have the same technology and protocol when dealing with patients.

The one that came out last week talks about the business of medicine, and it was written by a man who has recently ended his nine-year (ouch!!) residency. He's a good writer, and the article was compelling.

getunconcsious (they teach ya to spell like that in texas?),

Please don't go to UNR. I'm begging you. As someone who's strongly considering going there, and after reading so many of your disparaging posts about the school and city, I think it'd really be better off if you didn't matriculate there. Go to that UT school you got into and save everyone in UNR's class of 2009 the pain of having to deal with you for the first two years. You want help in choosing which school to attend, here you go:

1. You don't like Reno. Fine. That's completely your preference and you're entitled not to like it. Stay as far away as possible.

2. You don't like the way the administration has handled things. Also your preference. They've been fine with me, but I obviously must be an abnormality.

3. You don't think UNR's reputation is as good as other schools. The match lists speak for themselves. Students currently at UNR have gotten their bachelor's from the likes of Stanford, Berkeley, Davis, etc. The anatomy instructor, Saurland, is the author of Grant's Dissector (google it). Obviously these things aren't good enough for you, so don't go there.

4. A miniscule class size of 52 students would mean that you, judging by your personality from other posts, would be easily one of the most hated individuals in the class...the type of neurotic pre-med, SDN-obsessed freak who's gunning to ensure his success and everyone else's failure.

5. Forget about the tuition. You're going to be a freakin' doctor whether you go to a UT school or UNR. The money now will matter jack squat when you've been making $150,000 or more per year when you're in your early 30s. Go to the school you like more, which is obviously that UT.

Thanks and I hope I don't see you in the fall.

Who's this guy?

I was raised and grew up in Reno/Sparks for 18 years, graduated from HS there and am currently at student at UC Davis and pending on how my MCAT goes I'll be applying this summer.

getunconcsious (they teach ya to spell like that in texas?),

Please don't go to UNR. I'm begging you. As someone who's strongly considering going there, and after reading so many of your disparaging posts about the school and city, I think it'd really be better off if you didn't matriculate there. Go to that UT school you got into and save everyone in UNR's class of 2009 the pain of having to deal with you for the first two years. You want help in choosing which school to attend, here you go:

1. You don't like Reno. Fine. That's completely your preference and you're entitled not to like it. Stay as far away as possible.

2. You don't like the way the administration has handled things. Also your preference. They've been fine with me, but I obviously must be an abnormality.

3. You don't think UNR's reputation is as good as other schools. The match lists speak for themselves. Students currently at UNR have gotten their bachelor's from the likes of Stanford, Berkeley, Davis, etc. The anatomy instructor, Saurland, is the author of Grant's Dissector (google it). Obviously these things aren't good enough for you, so don't go there.

4. A miniscule class size of 52 students would mean that you, judging by your personality from other posts, would be easily one of the most hated individuals in the class...the type of neurotic pre-med, SDN-obsessed freak who's gunning to ensure his success and everyone else's failure.

5. Forget about the tuition. You're going to be a freakin' doctor whether you go to a UT school or UNR. The money now will matter jack squat when you've been making $150,000 or more per year when you're in your early 30s. Go to the school you like more, which is obviously that UT.

Thanks and I hope I don't see you in the fall.


That was NEEDLESSLY rude. Although thanks for making my decision easier. Apparentely the most burdensome people around go to UNSOM :rolleyes: I guess I'll stick to the UT-Houston thread, the people there are MUCH friendlier. I guess there was a reason I left the rotting hellhole that is Nevada. Couple points I'd like to make:

1. 'Their match list speaks for itself'--Yeah, speaks of a lot of family practice residencies even Caribbean grads could get. Don't believe me? Check out the 'meet our residents' pages for the residencies from their match list. You'll find that UNSOM graduates are working closely with Ross and SGU graduates.

2. At least US News KNOWS UT-HOUSTON EXISTS!

3. I doubt I'd be the least popular person there. Up until now, I haven't really said anything disparaging about the school except for comments on the admissions office, which brings me to

4. LOTS of people don't like the admissions office. Go back and re-read this thread. Besides, they DO withhold useful information. Within a week of being accepted, UT-Houston sent me info on housing, welcome weekend, immunizations, peer mentors, class schedules, etc. No such luck with Nevada

5. If you love it so much at least call it UNSOM, its proper name. It is not, and never will be, 'UNR'. The campus is split, for crying out loud.

6. Please do your research before criticizing me in the future. Thanks!

That was NEEDLESSLY rude. Although thanks for making my decision easier. Apparentely the most burdensome people around go to UNSOM :rolleyes: I guess I'll stick to the UT-Houston thread, the people there are MUCH friendlier. I guess there was a reason I left the rotting hellhole that is Nevada. Couple points I'd like to make:

1. 'Their match list speaks for itself'--Yeah, speaks of a lot of family practice residencies even Caribbean grads could get. Don't believe me? Check out the 'meet our residents' pages for the residencies from their match list. You'll find that UNSOM graduates are working closely with Ross and SGU graduates.

2. At least US News KNOWS UT-HOUSTON EXISTS!

3. I doubt I'd be the least popular person there. Up until now, I haven't really said anything disparaging about the school except for comments on the admissions office, which brings me to

4. LOTS of people don't like the admissions office. Go back and re-read this thread. Besides, they DO withhold useful information. Within a week of being accepted, UT-Houston sent me info on housing, welcome weekend, immunizations, peer mentors, class schedules, etc. No such luck with Nevada

5. If you love it so much at least call it UNSOM, its proper name. It is not, and never will be, 'UNR'. The campus is split, for crying out loud.

6. Please do your research before criticizing me in the future. Thanks!

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
I would not have been quite as nice in handling this. Fine job, Patrick.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
I would not have been quite as nice in handling this. Fine job, Patrick.

Thanks!!! :love: I try to do my best at handling idiotic trolls who don't know WTF they're talking about. :)

(Edited to be more civil toward said idiotic troll)

:eek:

Wow, this proves that medical school really IS high school drama all over again, except this time around people articulate their arguments much, much better! Oh well, I'm still heading to UNSOM.

On a serious note though, let's at least try to keep the animosity to a minimum...I mean, there's a chance that we still might all share a cadaver together... :thumbup:

Medfish

:eek:

Wow, this proves that medical school really IS high school drama all over again, except this time around people articulate their arguments much, much better! Oh well, I'm still heading to UNSOM.

On a serious note though, let's at least try to keep the animosity to a minimum...I mean, there's a chance that we still might all share a cadaver together... :thumbup:

Medfish

Agreed. But he (or she?) started it! I don't know why that person rolled in just to pick on me, I'm the one who started this thread anyways! Obviously if I really hated Nevada that much I wouldn't have!

I agree. But in any case, let's not forget that now is a stressful time for those who are still deciding as well as those that HAVE decided..... There's always going to be a slight doubt in your head whether you've made the right decision or not, at least until May 15th when things are set in stone. :cool:

Let's just be mindful of each other's space, and this will be my last 2 cents on this matter.

Good luck everyone!

Medfish

getunconcsious (they teach ya to spell like that in texas?),

Please don't go to UNR. I'm begging you. As someone who's strongly considering going there, and after reading so many of your disparaging posts about the school and city, I think it'd really be better off if you didn't matriculate there. Go to that UT school you got into and save everyone in UNR's class of 2009 the pain of having to deal with you for the first two years. You want help in choosing which school to attend, here you go:

1. You don't like Reno. Fine. That's completely your preference and you're entitled not to like it. Stay as far away as possible.

2. You don't like the way the administration has handled things. Also your preference. They've been fine with me, but I obviously must be an abnormality.

3. You don't think UNR's reputation is as good as other schools. The match lists speak for themselves. Students currently at UNR have gotten their bachelor's from the likes of Stanford, Berkeley, Davis, etc. The anatomy instructor, Saurland, is the author of Grant's Dissector (google it). Obviously these things aren't good enough for you, so don't go there.

4. A miniscule class size of 52 students would mean that you, judging by your personality from other posts, would be easily one of the most hated individuals in the class...the type of neurotic pre-med, SDN-obsessed freak who's gunning to ensure his success and everyone else's failure.

5. Forget about the tuition. You're going to be a freakin' doctor whether you go to a UT school or UNR. The money now will matter jack squat when you've been making $150,000 or more per year when you're in your early 30s. Go to the school you like more, which is obviously that UT.

Thanks and I hope I don't see you in the fall.


wow....go back and read the thread. i don't know where you've been this whole time but getunconcsious seems like a pretty good guy. we've all been bitching about unsom for good reason. for instance, regardless of what you think, linda marashall is ridiculously bad at her job. so there is no reason to call him out on something we've all sort of agreed upon. if you love the school so much, why don't you try to enlighten us on why you picked it over other schools....rather than coming in here and throwing insults around.

wow....go back and read the thread. i don't know where you've been this whole time but getunconcsious seems like a pretty good guy. we've all been bitching about unsom for good reason. for instance, regardless of what you think, linda marashall is ridiculously bad at her job. so there is no reason to call him out on something we've all sort of agreed upon. if you love the school so much, why don't you try to enlighten us on why you picked it over other schools....rather than coming in here and throwing insults around.


Now who's ganging up on whom? Look, I don't want this thread to drown in animosity either...Medfish is right that we might be sharing cadavers (or prosected chunks of cadavers?) But I would like to point out a couple of things: Clearly getunconscious does not like UNSOM (and I, for one, don't give a damn that it's actually UNSOM, to me it will always be UNR. Who really cares?). Who wants to be stuck in a small class for four years with someone who clearly does not want to be there? Gee, that sounds like fun for all of us. Is it really too much to ask to want to go to med school with people who want to be there as much as you do?

Please see getunconscious' post in the "worst city to go to med school" thread to see how he really feels about Reno. So go to Houston or wherever.

And yeah, UNR is a great school for primary care. Someone who describes himself as too misanthropic for primary care might be better suited for a school where you can easily get into nice specialties where you don't have to talk to anyone.

I'm sure that DrRaman82 has read the thread in full as all of us here have, and I can attest to the fact that DrRaman82 is really a very nice person who is merely fed up up (as I am) with people who says they're strongly considering UNR but seem to hate everything about it. In the exception of cases involving full ride scholarships, why would you even consider it? We've all been told a thousand times to go somewhere we know we'd be happy. A lot of the people who say they want to go to UNR don't seem to think they'd be happy.

I, on the other hand, would be happy to go there. And yet I'm waitlisted, waiting for people who seem to hate the place to seal my fate. See how this can be upsetting?

Oh and guys, please don't act like this thread is some kind of exclusive top-secret club. As you can see, people have read this thread over 1200 times, but everyone is so shocked to see someone else come in and express an opinion (see response to Reno's post as well). Clearly more people are interested in UNR than are actually posting most of the time.
Can the rest of us be in the club too?

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the supportive follow-ups! Yep, like Samwich I'm also very interested in primary care, so that's why UNSOM's rural rotations and electives are rather attractive and not negatives. I've spoken at length with a faculty physician who I volunteer for and who is also currently on the admissions committee for a family practice residency program here in Southern California, and he strongly recommended UNSOM's rural setting over large, inner-city schools for getting into primary care residency programs. He specifically mentioned that while almost everyone knows about the training that takes place at the Vegas UMC campus, which is itself very busy and urban, the rural aspect of the curriculum up north will make you that much more diverse and "interesting" as an applicant.

Okay, I am going to do my best to ignore all this hostility that found it's way in here this morning and try to get back to why I like this thread....so I have a question. The rural stuff sounds kind of cool to me too...mostly cause I have never spent any time in a rural area and think it might be cool to experience. So does anyone know how it really works? How many of us do a rotation there at a time? What is the housing like? Do they have places set up for us to stay? Are we in a hospital or a family practice? Anyone know how it works? Thanks!

Now who's ganging up on whom? Look, I don't want this thread to drown in animosity either...Medfish is right that we might be sharing cadavers (or prosected chunks of cadavers?) But I would like to point out a couple of things: Clearly getunconscious does not like UNSOM (and I, for one, don't give a damn that it's actually UNSOM, to me it will always be UNR. Who really cares?). Who wants to be stuck in a small class for four years with someone who clearly does not want to be there? Gee, that sounds like fun for all of us. Is it really too much to ask to want to go to med school with people who want to be there as much as you do?

Please see getunconscious' post in the "worst city to go to med school" thread to see how he really feels about Reno. So go to Houston or wherever.

And yeah, UNR is a great school for primary care. Someone who describes himself as too misanthropic for primary care might be better suited for a school where you can easily get into nice specialties where you don't have to talk to anyone.

I'm sure that DrRaman82 has read the thread in full as all of us here have, and I can attest to the fact that DrRaman82 is really a very nice person who is merely fed up up (as I am) with people who says they're strongly considering UNR but seem to hate everything about it. In the exception of cases involving full ride scholarships, why would you even consider it? We've all been told a thousand times to go somewhere we know we'd be happy. A lot of the people who say they want to go to UNR don't seem to think they'd be happy.

I, on the other hand, would be happy to go there. And yet I'm waitlisted, waiting for people who seem to hate the place to seal my fate. See how this can be upsetting?

So now you want to oust me from a thread which I started because I don't have only 100% glowing things to say about the school? That's infuriating. A lot of us here are debating between UNSOM and somewhere else, what's so wrong with that? I don't have 100% positive things to say about UT-Houston either. I feel as though I have been singled out for whatever reason, despite the fact that many others have said very similar things. Again I ask, aside from my angry response to that hater, what negative things have I said about the school besides the admissions office?? And what makes you think that I wouldn't want to be there? Have I ever said that? No. And I am getting really sick of the location crap. Why do I have to love Reno to go to school there? Obviously, there's more to life than location. I hate that I have to defend why I want to go to my home school, but I like Las Vegas much better than Houston OR Reno. I haven't seen this weird kind of rabid 'locational loyalty' anywhere else. No one's screaming at people that think Houston's the armpit of America on that thread. And the misanthropy post was obviously more than a little facetious. Apparentely some people just don't get sarcasm. I can understand how you're bitter about being waitlisted, but again I ask, why are you picking on me in particular?

P.S. I LOVE the intro about "I don't want to drown this thread with animosity, but let me bust out a lot of personal attacks on getunconcsious."

I like most aspects of UNSOM, except for a few certain members (or possible members?) of the incoming class.

BTW, kwc1979 and medfish, you guys are awesome. :love:

Oh and guys, please don't act like this thread is some kind of exclusive top-secret club. As you can see, people have read this thread over 1200 times, but everyone is so shocked to see someone else come in and express an opinion (see response to Reno's post as well). Clearly more people are interested in UNR than are actually posting most of the time.
Can the rest of us be in the club too?

WTF are you talking about? Someone asked who that person Reno was, but I don't see why you think we're being exclusionary.

Congrats, Dr. Raman and BravaItaliana, on making this the first 'incoming class' thread (That I've seen, anyways) to dissolve into animosity :rolleyes:

Okay, I am going to do my best to ignore all this hostility that found it's way in here this morning and try to get back to why I like this thread....so I have a question. The rural stuff sounds kind of cool to me too...mostly cause I have never spent any time in a rural area and think it might be cool to experience. So does anyone know how it really works? How many of us do a rotation there at a time? What is the housing like? Do they have places set up for us to stay? Are we in a hospital or a family practice? Anyone know how it works? Thanks!


Hey there, I am interested in the rural thing too, since I'm from a rural area. I'm planning to go back to Elko and stay with my mom for that rotation, but I've heard that they set you up with host families if you have nowhere to stay. If you really like the rural rotation, they have a few rural electives too, so that you can spend more than the required 4 weeks. I know Elko has a hospital (NNRH), not sure about the other sites. When I was volunteering at NNRH, the med students rolled in occasionally, so I think that if you go to one of the 'bigger' rural towns like Elko you will spend at least some time in a hospital. I think Ely has a hospital too, but it's much smaller and more limited than Elko's.

I'm interested in possibly doing rural medicine, so I like that aspect of the school a lot. Do you have one particular area of Nevada in mind for the rural experience?

1. 'Their match list speaks for itself'--Yeah, speaks of a lot of family practice residencies even Caribbean grads could get. Don't believe me? Check out the 'meet our residents' pages for the residencies from their match list. You'll find that UNSOM graduates are working closely with Ross and SGU graduates.

I don't think you understand what their match list is. UNR's match list features students going to Wake, Mayo, UCSF, UCD, Emory, UCSD. A few even stay in Nevada. The problem is that Nevada has very few residency positions available in the state (funding issues) so people have to usually look elsewhere. Also, a lot of people don't want to stay in Nevada for residency. 80% of students match outside of the state.

So, when the state's medical programs look for residents, they have to take what they can get, including graduates from Caribbean Med Schools (and who care's if they're graduates from the caribbean...they still have their medical degrees). This says nothing about the quality of UNSOM's graduates.

However, that Nevada graduates can compete with "bigger name" schools as listed above says a lot about the quality of their graduates.

2. At least US News KNOWS UT-HOUSTON EXISTS!

Honestly, I can't even believe you brought US News and World Review into the discussion. If those meaningless rankings are that important to you, go somewhere else.

3. I doubt I'd be the least popular person there. Up until now, I haven't really said anything disparaging about the school except for comments on the admissions office, which brings me to

Haven't said anything disparaging....really? I guess saying Reno's a hell hole, that UNSOM graduates are not quality because Caribbean med school graduates out-compete them for residencies in Nevada isn't disparaging. My bad.

I guess that my pointing out the obvious makes me an "idiotic troll". Sorry, dude, your logic sucks there too. All wanted to do is to show others on this thread that there are a lot of good reasons to go to Nevada. Even though you're the OP, instead of trying to point out the good sides of UNR and why you want to go to school there, all you seem to be trying to do is giving yourself enough reason to shut the door on UNR and go to UT-H. Hope your mission finds success.

Hey there, I am interested in the rural thing too, since I'm from a rural area. I'm planning to go back to Elko and stay with my mom for that rotation, but I've heard that they set you up with host families if you have nowhere to stay. If you really like the rural rotation, they have a few rural electives too, so that you can spend more than the required 4 weeks. I know Elko has a hospital (NNRH), not sure about the other sites. When I was volunteering at NNRH, the med students rolled in occasionally, so I think that if you go to one of the 'bigger' rural towns like Elko you will spend at least some time in a hospital. I think Ely has a hospital too, but it's much smaller and more limited than Elko's. I'm interested in possibly doing rural medicine, so I like that aspect of the school a lot. Do you have one particular area of Nevada in mind for the rural experience?


No, not at all....I'm one of those Las Vegans who everyone else in the state hates cause I never leave Vegas and know very little about the North. And the sad part is, I even worked for Harry Reid in his DC office and still can't tell you much about what goes on up there (besides mining, I guess). So I'll take your advice...Elko over Ely? I'm actually pretty curious about how many students they send up there at a time. I'd like to have some friends to head up there with!

The thought of living with a strange family doesn't seem that exciting....but the guy I interviewed with down here in Las Vegas is by far my favorite person I've dealt with at UNSOM. He's a family practioneer in Vegas and said the rural rotation he did while going to school made him choose his career path. He said he always thought he's end up a specialist until his time up there. It just got me thinking it's probably a interesting experience to say the least.

No one is trying to oust you. Yes, you started this thread. Yes, you're entitled to bash UNR and UT however you choose. DrRaman82 expressed an opinion--he's entitled to that too.
Look, I also hate that this thread has become a shouting match. Yeah, I'm as frustrated as DrRaman82 is, and you guys have to admit that this thread started off positive and rapidly declined into enthusiastic UNR-bashing.

But I'm also not stupid, I know that if I get into UNR all of the people who are a part of this shouting match could be my classmates, and I'm not a strong enough person to deal with being hated from the first day of school. And it seems to me UNR needs a cohesive class more than anyone since it's so dang small. But to be honest, a very strong clique seems to have been formed here and having been excluded from cliques all the way through high school, I was hoping not to see them in med school. I'm nervous about what this could mean for the next four years.

Yeah, maybe I seemed inflammatory. And maybe I seemed to be singling you out, getunconcsious. I wasn't. And yes, it's hard to recognize sarcasm in a plain text message. It's just that there are four main people contributing to this thread until now and when someone new says something everyone jumps at his throat.I jumped to offer my own defense of DrRaman82 just the way medfish et al jumped to Getunconscious' defense. Simple as that.

All I wanted to do is to show others on this thread that there are a lot of good reasons to go to Nevada.

Given the fact that your only contribution to this thread thus far has been personal attacks on me, I find that hard to believe.

If you would like to state what you believe to be the positive aspects of the school (and yes, there are many positive aspects) then I'd be more than happy to listen. Can we all please put down the haterade for five seconds and get back to a constructive discussion?

Ok, so I know this sounds weird coming from me, purveyor of negativity that I am. But believe it or not I have appreciated this thread for it's discussions, so I'm with Getunconscious, voting for a return to the constructive discussion that has drawn us all so deeply into this thread.
Mind you, I am not necessarily apologizing carte blanche for what I said before, and I reserve the right to go psycho again as conditions warrant. I make no apologies for my feelings, but I do apologize for causing an uproar.

We may all be at school together in the fall, might as well not kill eachother now. That can wait until we all actually meet =)

[wishing they had a smiley with a white flag...]

For those that are "worried" about being ousted from the rest of the class and judged because of how they've behaved on SDN - please don't let that become the main selection factor for you. If you've expressed something that you felt was important for discussion, then you've utilized your forum resources the way it's intended.

I mean, once the semester starts, who really has the time to try to figure out the "true" identity of so and so on SDN?

Finally, I'm not trying to defend or side with anyone in particular. I actually think many here seem to be extremely well-spoken, intelligent, and slightly stressed individuals that aren't afraid to express their opinions. This says a lot about the caliber of UNSOM students!

ps. Am I the only one that likes Linda Marshall (in a professional way that is :D )? :thumbup:

Come on guys,

can't we all just get along!

This is a difficult decision for all of us, and we're here to help each other.

ps. Am I the only one that likes Linda Marshall (in a professional way that is :D )? :thumbup:


Quite possibly. :p

Anyways, one thing I really liked about UNSOM was the peer contact. My peer contact is great and still answers my questions about the school. Most applicants I have talked to had similar positive experiences. He told me that we get senior colleagues who are MS2's next year if we go. I wonder how they assign them. Does anybody know?

I randomly ran into a third year from UNSOM last night and talked to him a little about the school. He mentioned that there isn't a note taking service (which really, really sucks!!!) but that they do put all the notes online so you can print them before class. He said that his class is really laid back and has no problem sharing notes should you miss class. However, other classes, he said, are a great deal more competitive about it. I guess that problem can be solved if you just have a buddy to share stuff with so you can get around everyone else though. Anyway, he was a nice guy who seemed to really like the school. (And he was out on a Thursday night with plans to go out again tonight....so that's a good thing!!!)

Samwich, I think you are up there visiting right now. If you get a sec, will you let us know your thoughts and/or experiences? I know that I would really appreciate it! I hope you are having a good time!!!

I randomly ran into a third year from UNSOM last night and talked to him a little about the school. He mentioned that there isn't a note taking service (which really, really sucks!!!) but that they do put all the notes online so you can print them before class. He said that his class is really laid back and has no problem sharing notes should you miss class. However, other classes, he said, are a great deal more competitive about it. I guess that problem can be solved if you just have a buddy to share stuff with so you can get around everyone else though. Anyway, he was a nice guy who seemed to really like the school. (And he was out on a Thursday night with plans to go out again tonight....so that's a good thing!!!)

Samwich, I think you are up there visiting right now. If you get a sec, will you let us know your thoughts and/or experiences? I know that I would really appreciate it! I hope you are having a good time!!!


So, while you all bitched each other out, I drove to Reno. I really didn't hang out at the school too long on Friday, but I did talk to about 1/3 of the class (15-18 people). I saw them after a test, so they were a little weary, but they're all pretty happy, it seems. They like the class size and the tuition the most. Also, they're really jazzed about the preceptorship, where you work with a doctor one afternoon a week. Students said they felt priviledged to get to have so much patient contact in the first year, since they have friends at bigger schools who don't see patients nearly as much.

I mostly talked to a friend's roommate who's an MSI, and it sounds like he studies ALL THE TIME. Here's the weekly schedule he gave me: Get up and go to class from 8-whenever. Work out. Eat dinner. Study until 10. Do that five days a week and on Saturday. As for Sunday, he gave me a nebulous "whatever I have time for that day". When I walked around the school on Sunday afternoon with my boyfriend, he was there, working on a paper. They have to write papers and do presentations once in a while.
(He created a schedule for the semester, if anyone would like me to e-mail it to him or her.)

I basically approached everyone I saw, and they all seemed pleased with their decision to go to UNSOM. One thing they really DON'T like is the letter grading, and who knows when that will change. :thumbdown Apparently the financial aid is incredible. :) As Justin put it, "it's almost too easy to get money." Which is good to hear. Students also feel that the administration is really receptive and supportive, except for the grades, I guess. (BTW, I have no personal vendetta against Linda Marshall either.) Also, the professors are, on the whole, very accomodating. I heard of a few teachers have 2-3 different times for review sessions so that every student could make it. I think that's very generous. The MSIs seemed like a very harmonious class, and I can only hope that I am as lucky.

I also talked to my neighbor, whose son went to UNSOM and is now an ER resident at Wake Forest. I have his number, but I haven't called him yet. However, his dad said he wished he had been in a bigger class, but he couldn't really explain why. Apparently Brian (the resident) spent most of his time in Reno, but also was in Vegas and Elko a good deal as well. I'll ask him about the rural medicine rotation when I get in touch with him.

Any more questions?

You guys are all really lucky, I envy you guys :)

You guys are all really lucky, I envy you guys :)

Why is that?

So, while you all bitched each other out, I drove to Reno. I really didn't hang out at the school too long on Friday, but I did talk to about 1/3 of the class (15-18 people). I saw them after a test, so they were a little weary, but they're all pretty happy, it seems. They like the class size and the tuition the most. Also, they're really jazzed about the preceptorship, where you work with a doctor one afternoon a week. Students said they felt priviledged to get to have so much patient contact in the first year, since they have friends at bigger schools who don't see patients nearly as much.

I mostly talked to a friend's roommate who's an MSI, and it sounds like he studies ALL THE TIME. Here's the weekly schedule he gave me: Get up and go to class from 8-whenever. Work out. Eat dinner. Study until 10. Do that five days a week and on Saturday. As for Sunday, he gave me a nebulous "whatever I have time for that day". When I walked around the school on Sunday afternoon with my boyfriend, he was there, working on a paper. They have to write papers and do presentations once in a while.
(He created a schedule for the semester, if anyone would like me to e-mail it to him or her.)

I basically approached everyone I saw, and they all seemed pleased with their decision to go to UNSOM. One thing they really DON'T like is the letter grading, and who knows when that will change. :thumbdown Apparently the financial aid is incredible. :) As Justin put it, "it's almost too easy to get money." Which is good to hear. Students also feel that the administration is really receptive and supportive, except for the grades, I guess. (BTW, I have no personal vendetta against Linda Marshall either.) Also, the professors are, on the whole, very accomodating. I heard of a few teachers have 2-3 different times for review sessions so that every student could make it. I think that's very generous. The MSIs seemed like a very harmonious class, and I can only hope that I am as lucky.

I also talked to my neighbor, whose son went to UNSOM and is now an ER resident at Wake Forest. I have his number, but I haven't called him yet. However, his dad said he wished he had been in a bigger class, but he couldn't really explain why. Apparently Brian (the resident) spent most of his time in Reno, but also was in Vegas and Elko a good deal as well. I'll ask him about the rural medicine rotation when I get in touch with him.

Any more questions?


Thanks a lot of the update! So are you definitely going there? Did anyone you talked to say anything about housing? Does anyone know where people live? Or how they go about finding roommates?

Thanks a lot of the update! So are you definitely going there? Did anyone you talked to say anything about housing? Does anyone know where people live? Or how they go about finding roommates?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm going there. Unless Penn State offers me a scholarship of some kind, which won't happen. Plus, Reno seems a lot more receptive to Integrative medicine thatn Penn State was, and that's where I want to go. I think it would be the better place for me.

As for housing, it sounds like people live in apartments, and most people pay around $500-600 a month for their own place. I checked out Reno's Craigslist, and it was pitiful, so that's not much of a resource. The MS1 I talked to owned his own apartment (his parents helped him), and I heard of another MS1 who's married and bought a house, taking out his school loans against the equity in his house. With property values rising like they are, he thinks he'll be able to pay off his student loans when he sells his house, going to residency without any debt.

I'll see what I can find out about finding roommates. I think there's an apartment complex with quite a few UNSOM students, which could be cool.

Did everyone receive that manila envelope with financial aid info and other stuff in it?

No manila envelope..but did anyone else get the letter from the financial aid dept saying they don't qualify for aid since they're not enrolled in a grad program?

I also think it would be great if there were some apartment complex that had a lot of med students in it...that's one thing I would be disappointed in with UNR, that a lot of the students seem to live all over the place. I'd really love a feeling of community outside of the library, so we can wander around and get help from eachother if we need it. Samwich, did you get the feeling that most students there live on their own or do a lot of them room with other MS's?
(thanks for taking that field trip, by the way, very informative)

No manila envelope..but did anyone else get the letter from the financial aid dept saying they don't qualify for aid since they're not enrolled in a grad program?

I also think it would be great if there were some apartment complex that had a lot of med students in it...that's one thing I would be disappointed in with UNR, that a lot of the students seem to live all over the place. I'd really love a feeling of community outside of the library, so we can wander around and get help from eachother if we need it. Samwich, did you get the feeling that most students there live on their own or do a lot of them room with other MS's?
(thanks for taking that field trip, by the way, very informative)


Does that mean you don't qualify cause you are waitlisted? Or because you aren't in a grad program now?

I got the manilla one and I just submitted my FAFSA stuff yesterday. I hated every second of it!! They make it so hard and my parents were horrendous to work with! My dad got so biter that I needed all the information from him. He kept saying, "Just put anything down for us...you won't qualify anyway!" And I was like, "Dad, I think that's a felony." And he was like, "It doesn't matter...they won't even look at it" And it went on and on, til finally my mom stepped in. The whole thing was a nightmare. Has anyone gotten their actual package yet?

My parents are talking seriously about the whole buying a house thing as an investment and having me (plus possibly roommates) live there while at UNSOM and then selling it afterwards. I think they are just trying to bribe me to stay in state...but it is actually quite tempting not to have to take money out for rent for a four years. I definitely want to live with roommates though. Hopefully, med students. I am not cut out for living alone! I wonder if their admissions office tries to do anything to set people up to live together. Anyone know? I don't know a soul who lives anywhere in Northern Nevada. If fact, Tahoe aside, I haven't even been to Reno since I was in high school.

Yeah, I would definitely want to live with other med students. That way there's no huge difference in lifestyle, etc. It's hard to study when roommates don't have to! (Then again, right now I'm doing the same thing to them...)
About that letter, I probably didn't get the manila one because I'm waitlisted, but I do know someone who got the same letter (white envelope) as I did who was accepted. No one else got one? I thought it was just some kind of system-wide glitch, perhaps.
My parents both discussed the investment option, also, but I doubt either of them would actually do it. Are they going to make you pay rent? If not, that's a pretty serious bribe =) On the other hand it might mean you'd have to play landlord, and that might not be fun.

Does that mean you don't qualify cause you are waitlisted? Or because you aren't in a grad program now?

I got the manilla one and I just submitted my FAFSA stuff yesterday. I hated every second of it!! They make it so hard and my parents were horrendous to work with! My dad got so biter that I needed all the information from him. He kept saying, "Just put anything down for us...you won't qualify anyway!" And I was like, "Dad, I think that's a felony." And he was like, "It doesn't matter...they won't even look at it" And it went on and on, til finally my mom stepped in. The whole thing was a nightmare. Has anyone gotten their actual package yet?

My parents are talking seriously about the whole buying a house thing as an investment and having me (plus possibly roommates) live there while at UNSOM and then selling it afterwards. I think they are just trying to bribe me to stay in state...but it is actually quite tempting not to have to take money out for rent for a four years. I definitely want to live with roommates though. Hopefully, med students. I am not cut out for living alone! I wonder if their admissions office tries to do anything to set people up to live together. Anyone know? I don't know a soul who lives anywhere in Northern Nevada. If fact, Tahoe aside, I haven't even been to Reno since I was in high school.

I have never lived alone, so I'm glad I'll have the opportunity for awhile, before my boyfriend relocates with a new job. I know I'll be alone for at least a semester, but probably longer. I'm also a picky studier (translation: I require silence), so unless I lived with someone who studied the same way, I don't know how great it would be to have a roommate. However, a fellow med student would be ideal.

The guy I know who has the apartment his parents bought him is responsible for the mortgage every month, which means he does have to play landlord. That would suck.

I'll e-mail the med students I know and ask if there's an apartment complex where a lot of UNSOMers live.

My dad is pretty awful when it comes to financial aid too. He seems to think I'll use it to extort him in some way. He gives me the information, every year, with this caveat: "Remember, this is private information, and it's NO ONE'S business except mine." Where's the trust?

As for the manila envelope, I think it's only for acceptees.

Does that mean you don't qualify cause you are waitlisted? Or because you aren't in a grad program now?

I got the manilla one and I just submitted my FAFSA stuff yesterday. I hated every second of it!! They make it so hard and my parents were horrendous to work with! My dad got so biter that I needed all the information from him. He kept saying, "Just put anything down for us...you won't qualify anyway!" And I was like, "Dad, I think that's a felony." And he was like, "It doesn't matter...they won't even look at it" And it went on and on, til finally my mom stepped in. The whole thing was a nightmare. Has anyone gotten their actual package yet?

My parents are talking seriously about the whole buying a house thing as an investment and having me (plus possibly roommates) live there while at UNSOM and then selling it afterwards. I think they are just trying to bribe me to stay in state...but it is actually quite tempting not to have to take money out for rent for a four years. I definitely want to live with roommates though. Hopefully, med students. I am not cut out for living alone! I wonder if their admissions office tries to do anything to set people up to live together. Anyone know? I don't know a soul who lives anywhere in Northern Nevada. If fact, Tahoe aside, I haven't even been to Reno since I was in high school.


Hey, I got my award letter already, but it was not too great--lots and lots of loans. That said, the student budget is pretty cheap if you're in state.

Samwich, thanks for posting all that stuff about your trip, very useful and informative! :thumbup:

Courtesy of Linda Marshall

Courtesy of Linda Marshall


Thanks for the list! Anyone know what the deal is with the previous graduates on the list? Does this mean that they didn't match last year? Or Maybe took a year off?

Thanks for the list! Anyone know what the deal is with the previous graduates on the list? Does this mean that they didn't match last year? Or Maybe took a year off?


What does it mean if there are two hospitals listed by a name? I've noticed that before.

Also, Re: housing at UNSOM, apparently there's going to be a list of first-years who are looking for roommates in our orientation packets (which come way before orientation, I'm hoping). Other than that, my MS1 friend said that people kind of go where they find the best place. So much for a community outside of school.

Hi Samwich,

The two residency locations next to a grad's name indicate where the student will spend their first year in preliminary residency - a time when they learn about internal medicine stuff before embarking on their specialty training for the next three years post preliminary. In summary, it allows the student to brush up on all the internal systems as a resident before they join the specialty that they've matched into.

HTH

Medfish

What does it mean if there are two hospitals listed by a name? I've noticed that before.

Also, Re: housing at UNSOM, apparently there's going to be a list of first-years who are looking for roommates in our orientation packets (which come way before orientation, I'm hoping). Other than that, my MS1 friend said that people kind of go where they find the best place. So much for a community outside of school.

Thanks Medfish!!! That