2012-2013 University of California - Davis Application Thread

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A. Essay Questions:
In this section, we ask each applicant to describe his or her unique qualifications for a career in medicine, particularly at the UC Davis School of Medicine. Instructions: Please click on Essay Questions tab and complete the four essay questions.

1. Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee. (500 Character Limit)

2. How will your family, community, academic, work or other life experiences enhance the UC Davis School of Medicine community? (500 Character Limit)

3. Based upon your personal life experiences, what do you foresee as challenges in medical school and in your future career? (500 Character Limit)

4. What have you been doing since submitting your AMCAS application? Include contact information for any references related to these experiences. (500 Character Limit)

B. Experiences:
At UC Davis School of Medicine we realize that each applicant brings diversity and perspective from a broad range of experiences. In this section we give you the opportunity to describe in detail the 3 extracurricular activities or experiences that have been most influential in leading you to a career in medicine.

Instructions complete the following steps for each experience:
Select the type of experience and indicate paid or volunteer
Title your experience
Indicate the level of commitment (total hours and duration)
List a relevant reference and their contact information
Indicate any evidence of accomplishment or supporting documentation
Briefly describe the significance of this experience and how it enhances your potential as a physician

C. Rural PRIME, SJV PRIME, TEACH-MS or Physician Scientist Training Program:

In addition to applying for the M.D. program, applicants have the option to apply for Rural PRIME, SJV PRIME, TEACH-MS or Physician Scientist Training Program. Please indicate your interest in either of the programs and another tab will appear on the blue bar. You will need to complete the required information for the appropriate program. Please note that M.D. only applicants do not need to complete part C of the supplemental information.

5. The Rural-Program In Medical Education is designed for students interested in becoming physician leaders in rural California communities. Curricular enhancements include weekly seminars, hands-on skill sessions covering laceration repair, obstetric delivery, CPR, etc., mentorship with rural physicians, 3rd year rural clinical rotations and leadership opportunities related to rural health. Link to Rural-PRIME Website: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogr...ime/index.html If interested, please tell us why you would like to be considered for the program. Otherwise, please insert "not applicable".

6. Please describe your experiences working with underserved communities. If not interested in Rural-PRIME, please insert “not applicable”.


7. What are your future plans to practice in a rural underserved community? If not interested in Rural-PRIME, please insert “not applicable”.

8. The UC Davis - UC Merced San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education (SJV PRIME) is a tailored M.D. leadership pathway for students with a strong interest in practicing as a physician in California’s San Joaquin Valley region providing care for the underserved. Link to SJV PRIME Website: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogr...ime/index.html If interested, please describe your commitment to serving underserved communities in the San Joaquin Valley and how your experiences have shaped this commitment. Otherwise, please insert “not applicable”.

9. What are some of the greatest challenges in the San Joaquin Valley and how could SJV PRIME enhance or enable you to fulfill your career goals in the region? If not interested in SJV PRIME, please insert “not applicable”.

10. The TEACH-MS Program is a four year tailored M.D. program for students with a strong interest in primary care and care for the urban underserved. Link to TEACH-MS Website: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/TEACH-MS If interested, please describe your commitment to serving underserved communities as a primary care physician and how your past experiences may have shaped this commitment. Otherwise, please insert “not applicable”.

11. How will participating in the TEACH-MS Program enhance or enable you to fulfill your career goals? If not interested in TEACH-MS, please insert “not applicable”.

12. The Physician Scientist Training Program (http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogr...h.D/index.html) is designed for students interested in becoming clinician investigators and leads to a dual degree (MD-PhD). The program includes 4 years of dedicated research in addition to the standard medical school curriculum. If you are interested in this program, please describe your research experience, qualifications, and future goals. Otherwise, please insert "Not applicable".

Good luck to everyone applying!

X

Can anyone PM me the secondary prompts from prior years?

Secondary came in just now!

-____- three more significant experiences?! I don't know what else to put aside from the ones on my primary...

I got a secondary too =)

Yeahhhh, just got one as well.

Ug entering pre-requisites and somehow I missed that UC Davis requires a full year of a math and I only have 2 quarters...(and they don't accept AP credit). I wonder if I can get my "BIOSTATS" research to count

Originally Posted by OchemNerd

I got a secondary too =)

Can someone put up the prompts since this thread is still lacking a current prompt?

.

Originally Posted by rissaroo

Can someone put up the prompts since this thread is still lacking a current prompt?

Pretty much the same as last year and they ask a lot of stuff you already put on your primary.

Got a secondary too. I thought Davis screened primaries to decide who to send secondaries to. If so, that was really fast. Maybe it's just based on a GPA/MCAT cutoff.

Would two full semesters of math count as 9 hours? I don't understand why it is 9. Aren't normal courses considered 4 hours?

For the "Minimum Total Course Units" column, are they quarter units or semester hours?

Originally Posted by hurlygrly07

I agree!! Does anyone have any advice about this? its literally verbatim from the primary!

Agreed. I am probably going to choose mostly the same activities and just write an additional description about them that more answers the UC Davis secondary about how it will enhance my potential as a physician. Was so tempted to copy and paste the primary though since it is the SAME THING.

Just a silly question, but after AMCAS receives your LOR theres nothing else you have to do to make it available to the schools right?

Originally Posted by Goobs

Just a silly question, but after AMCAS receives your LOR theres nothing else you have to do to make it available to the schools right?

You have to go to the medical school section, click "edit" and follow the instructions to assign it to the schools. You might have already done this when adding schools though. As long as on the medical school page it lists the letters under each school, you should be fine.

Originally Posted by virtuoso735

Got a secondary too. I thought Davis screened primaries to decide who to send secondaries to. If so, that was really fast. Maybe it's just based on a GPA/MCAT cutoff.

Would two full semesters of math count as 9 hours? I don't understand why it is 9. Aren't normal courses considered 4 hours?

For the "Minimum Total Course Units" column, are they quarter units or semester hours?

Yeah, I'm finding the "hours" confusing. Is there "hours" the same thing as number of units? What does one "hour" equal? One semester hour or one quarter hour?

Because I took two semesters of English. One class was 3 units and the other one was 4 hours. So that's only 7?

Originally Posted by Tatertots

Ug entering pre-requisites and somehow I missed that UC Davis requires a full year of a math and I only have 2 quarters...(and they don't accept AP credit). I wonder if I can get my "BIOSTATS" research to count

Agreed. I took one semester and one quarter. I didn't know I am short a quarter

I got the UC Davis secondary and I found that they will not offer admissions to anyone who has not completed all the prerequisites. I still need physics lab II. I thought the general wisdom was that it was okay to leave one or two prereqs undone as long as you took the courses before matriculating. So does Davis really not consider you unless you have completed ALL your prereqs?

Originally Posted by virtuoso735

Would two full semesters of math count as 9 hours? I don't understand why it is 9. Aren't normal courses considered 4 hours?

For the "Minimum Total Course Units" column, are they quarter units or semester hours?

Course units are in quarter units. So 4 semester hours x1.5 = 6 units for the form.

Some schools have lab courses as 4 units and non-lab as 3. So two 3-unit semester math classes would be 9 units/hours.

Originally Posted by brokeninnosense

Yeah, I'm finding the "hours" confusing. Is there "hours" the same thing as number of units? What does one "hour" equal? One semester hour or one quarter hour?

Because I took two semesters of English. One class was 3 units and the other one was 4 hours. So that's only 7?

UC Davis is on the quarter system. Convert all semester units to quarter hours via the supplied equation. So 7 semester units = 10.5 "hours" for their form.

Originally Posted by virtuoso735

I got the UC Davis secondary and I found that they will not offer admissions to anyone who has not completed all the prerequisites. I still need physics lab II. I thought the general wisdom was that it was okay to leave one or two prereqs undone as long as you took the courses before matriculating. So does Davis really not consider you unless you have completed ALL your prereqs?

I have this problem too since I am a non-trad applicant and haven't yet taken upper div bio courses (does biochem at a community college count as upper div? probably not...). This is verbatim from the FAQ page on the secondary...

Q. What information will I need to complete the prerequisite section on the secondary materials?
Besides the course names, numbers and grades you will need to know whether the course was offered during a quarter vs. semester term. If a course is pending then provide the month and year that you will complete that course. Remember that 1 year is equivalent to 2 semesters or 3 quarters; ½ year is equivalent to 1 semester or 2 quarters. All prerequisite coursework must be completed no later than June 1 prior to matriculation. In addition, no applicant will be offered admission unless ALL of the premedical course requirements are completed. As a result, it is strongly suggested that ALL premedical course requirements be completed no later than January 1 of the application cycle.




So I'm going to look for an upper div class and just list it as pending and if I do get an interview or something then it'll be crunch time for me...

That's strange. They say prereqs must be done before June 1 prior to matriculation, but then they can't admit you unless you have them done. Which means that they still give acceptances after June 1?

WHY? what's the point of asking the 3 most significant experiences that have directed you towards medicine? Especially if I've already named 1 of those in my 2 most significant on AMCAS... What if I don't have 3?! arghhh!

Originally Posted by rierphfft

I have this problem too since I am a non-trad applicant and haven't yet taken upper div bio courses (does biochem at a community college count as upper div? probably not...). This is verbatim from the FAQ page on the secondary...

Q. What information will I need to complete the prerequisite section on the secondary materials?
Besides the course names, numbers and grades you will need to know whether the course was offered during a quarter vs. semester term. If a course is pending then provide the month and year that you will complete that course. Remember that 1 year is equivalent to 2 semesters or 3 quarters; ½ year is equivalent to 1 semester or 2 quarters. All prerequisite coursework must be completed no later than June 1 prior to matriculation. In addition, no applicant will be offered admission unless ALL of the premedical course requirements are completed. As a result, it is strongly suggested that ALL premedical course requirements be completed no later than January 1 of the application cycle.




So I'm going to look for an upper div class and just list it as pending and if I do get an interview or something then it'll be crunch time for me...

Oh this is a huge problem for me...I took 0 lower division biology courses. I guess I can list all lower division biology courses as pending? Ridiculous because I got a 5 on the AP Bio test and a 14 on the BS section of the MCAT. Anybody in the same boat?

Originally Posted by cfive22

Oh this is a huge problem for me...I took 0 lower division biology courses. I guess I can list all lower division biology courses as pending? Ridiculous because I got a 5 on the AP Bio test and a 14 on the BS section of the MCAT. Anybody in the same boat?

Yeah, I don't know what to do about my gen chem. I took one semester and one quarter of gen chem.. which makes me 0.5 hours short. I'm thinking of putting a class as pending for the upcoming fall. I don't know what to do

Originally Posted by brokeninnosense

Yeah, I don't know what to do about my gen chem. I took one semester and one quarter of gen chem.. which makes me 0.5 hours short. I'm thinking of putting a class as pending for the upcoming fall. I don't know what to do

It's a bit weird. In their FAQ, it says:

Q. Will Advanced Placement (AP) credit fulfill the course requirements?
Check with each medical school as to how AP credit is handled. UC Davis School of Medicine will accept some AP credit to satisfy the course requirements. Distance learning or on-line courses will not fulfill any of the premedical course requirements.

They seem to contradict themselves on this issue...at some points they say 0 AP credit will be accepted but then at another junction, they say they'll accept some. Odd. I'll call them on Monday and see if I can get a better answer and post here!

Originally Posted by cfive22

It's a bit weird. In their FAQ, it says:

Q. Will Advanced Placement (AP) credit fulfill the course requirements?
Check with each medical school as to how AP credit is handled. UC Davis School of Medicine will accept some AP credit to satisfy the course requirements. Distance learning or on-line courses will not fulfill any of the premedical course requirements.

They seem to contradict themselves on this issue...at some points they say 0 AP credit will be accepted but then at another junction, they say they'll accept some. Odd. I'll call them on Monday and see if I can get a better answer and post here!

Please let us know what they say about this policy. I'm sure a lot of people, including myself, are deeply interested in this school. I have some AP credits for math courses that hopefully don't need to be retaken.

Got the secondary yesterday! IS

Couple thoughts:
1. The instructions for the prereq section say only genetics, biochemistry, molecular or cell biology will satisfy the upper division bio requirement. Genetics and Molecular were considered lower division bio classes at my school...so not sure what to do about that. My upper division bio classes include immunology, vertebrate physiology, biochemistry and micro biology.

2. I'm having trouble coming up with concerning aspects to my application. Any one else feeling the same way? The thing that I hate most about my application is my 31 MCAT score but I don't know if I should write about that because a 31 isn't terrible, I suppose.

3. What the heck is with these three experiences. I did that exact thing for the primary. Any one else considering copying and pasting?????

Not sure what the deal is with the experience summaries... I assume it's okay to use the same experiences but I would at least try to rework the text itself. Kind of freaking out about how to do that, writing the amcas summaries took up enough experience juice as it is.

Anyone else have a page error when entering your pre-requisite information?

Beneath the chart of class requirements, there's another page element that doesn't load, stating "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage." I get this same problem despite using Internet Explorer or Chrome.

Anyone else run into this? Perhaps its a problem with their servers.

Originally Posted by punshine

Not sure what the deal is with the experience summaries... I assume it's okay to use the same experiences but I would at least try to rework the text itself. Kind of freaking out about how to do that, writing the amcas summaries took up enough experience juice as it is.

I agree. Why not just read the AMCAS again?

.

Originally Posted by psychmdhopeful

1.) It says we need to send in 3-6 individual letters which may be accompanied by a premedical committee evaluation. Is the evaluation essentially the same as a committee letter? If so, then we also need to include 3-6 individual letters with the committee letter packet?

The committee packet should include the committee letter and 3-6 individual letters from whoever you asked to write you a letter. So you should be completely covered with a committee letter packet.

Questions:

1) For pre-recs, they say: English: 1 year (Courses in Comparative Literature and/or Classics will fulfill the English requirement.). Does this mean that ONLY CompLit/Classics will fulfill it? Or will any ENGL registered class do?

2) Physics (with lab): 1 year -- I took 1 semester of physics with Lab and 1 semester without lab. I only did this because I tested out of Physics 101 and the upper div physics didnt have lab... Does this not fulfill the requirement? When you go to fill out the secondary, does it deny you? I am not verified yet. I have labs in other upper division BCPM classes (biochem and developmental biology) so I have tons of lab time... will the 1 semester of physics prevent me from applying?

3) Mathematics (college-level math): 1 year -- Everyone here is saying that it has to be complete by June 1? And it also is confusing to me whether they take AP ... I have AP credit for both Calc and Stats ... and I also took 1 semester of calc, but I did not take another semester of MATH. silly me. To make up for it, I was going to take a class in the summer of 2013 right before med school, but only if I get accepted somewhere that required the class. Is this unacceptable to Davis?

I feel like there might be too many compounding factors for me to apply to Davis... which is a shame. I dont want to even waste money on the primary if I cant get past secondary requirements so someone please advise me if you can because I would love to apply here....

Am I in trouble if I have AP calc credit for BC (5) and only took multi var calc and stats (essentially 2 quarters of math)???

Originally Posted by syoung

Am I in trouble if I have AP calc credit for BC (5) and only took multi var calc and stats (essentially 2 quarters of math)???

I'm in the SAME exact boat...

Originally Posted by brokeninnosense

I'm in the SAME exact boat...

I'm in the same boat too...except my stats counted for 5 units because we had a 1 unit lab as well. That's interesting that it's different from school to school...

Originally Posted by ArchMed

Anyone else have a page error when entering your pre-requisite information?

Beneath the chart of class requirements, there's another page element that doesn't load, stating "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage." I get this same problem despite using Internet Explorer or Chrome.

Anyone else run into this? Perhaps its a problem with their servers.

I have this same issue. Chrome says it's a redirect loop problem. I tried clearing cookies and allowing third-party cookies (they were allowed in the first place), but no luck. Tips, anyone?

2 Questions:

1. I took OChem and Bio lecture and lab prerequisites separately, and of course received 2 separate grades. In the course prerequisite fields on the secondary, they only have a combined Lecture/Lab category. Which grade to I enter? Do I average the grades based on their units? or...?

2. Do we only enter the minimum courses to fulfill the requirements, or pick and choose from the courses we took that would fulfill them? For example, could I choose to list the course that I received the best grade from?

Thanks in advance

What are the pros and cons of applying to multiple PRIME programs?

Are the character counts for this secondary w/ or w/o spaces? Should I just always assume it's with?

Thank you everyone, and good luck!!!!

Originally Posted by SinglePayerFTW

Are the character counts for this secondary w/ or w/o spaces? Should I just always assume it's with?

Thank you everyone, and good luck!!!!

With spaces; it seems to be the norm for me!

Originally Posted by SinglePayerFTW

Are the character counts for this secondary w/ or w/o spaces? Should I just always assume it's with?

Thank you everyone, and good luck!!!!

It's character count with spaces (unfortunately!). Not a whole lot of space.


On another note: how are you all approaching the 3 meaningful experiences? I really don't want to repeat what is on AMCAS but will have to reuse at least 1 experience and totally rewrite it / tell a different story I guess? What are you guys doing?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by OchemNerd

I have this same issue. Chrome says it's a redirect loop problem. I tried clearing cookies and allowing third-party cookies (they were allowed in the first place), but no luck. Tips, anyone?

For me, Firefox has resolved the page error that we've been having.

Originally Posted by adenosine3phosp

2 Questions:

1. I took OChem and Bio lecture and lab prerequisites separately, and of course received 2 separate grades. In the course prerequisite fields on the secondary, they only have a combined Lecture/Lab category. Which grade to I enter? Do I average the grades based on their units? or...?

AHH I have the saame problem!!!!! My school also does lecture & lab class separately.

Anyone having trouble with the "concerning aspects of your application" question? Would writing "not applicable" come off as cocky?

Originally Posted by tac123

Anyone having trouble with the "concerning aspects of your application" question? Would writing "not applicable" come off as cocky?

Yeah I'm having the same problem. I have no idea what they want.

Originally Posted by ArchMed

For me, Firefox has resolved the page error that we've been having.

THANKS! Firefox did the trick.

Originally Posted by sodarayg

Yeah I'm having the same problem. I have no idea what they want.

Several medical students have told me not to over-think/over-read into these types of questions. If you don't have anything concerning (no drops in GPA due to illness, etc.), don't make something up. Admissions committees appreciate not having their time wasted.

Might be a dumb question but for the pre req stuff are we supposed to only enter in courses that satisfy the pre reqs or all the courses on our transcript again? Kinda seems dumb that we have to re enter this stuff and because of this i have to take an additional 2 math classes this fall