Crazy question: I want to move to texas after undergrad just to get into med school. How?

[Vans42]

Hi!

This is exactly what I did lol. However, at the time I didn't realize that it was a super smart thing to do, I just got a job here (I grew up and went to school in New England). As long as you have been living (and working full time or own property) in TX for a YEAR before you apply (and it actually works that it has to be by the end of the application cycle, so by October) you are good to go!

*Oh, and you need to get a license, be considered independent for tax purposes (no dependent status on your parent's taxes), and be a registered voter.

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[TheBossDoctor]

Do people really do this just for med school? C'mon man.

There's no shortcuts. Just work hard to build a strong application and get into a private school if you don't live in a state with many public schools. It really isn't that hard (and this is coming from someone who arguably has mediocre stats and is applying out of California).

 

[SunsFun]

That's all well and good if you're talking about getting lower tuition rates. But in the application process, where they are not required to give you any legs up for your residency (even if they are required to give a certain number of seats to TX residents, they don't have to give YOU preference if they think you're trying to game them) it's not a legal thing, it's a "Oh look, they're trying to fudge their instate-ness." Whether that's a plus or a negative is their discretion, not some right you gain as soon as you are technically IS.

Provided his stats and ECs are good, I doubt this will be an issue. There are plenty of good reasons to move to a different state and I doubt the committee is that paranoid to assume that if he moves it is because he is trying to game the system. If this comes up in the interview he can certainly come up with an excuse.

 

[Selladore235]

The advantage that Texas residents have over non-Texas residents is overblown, if not outright incorrect. Besides California, Texas has the most number of its residents applying to medical schools, numbers which correlate to state population. Data on applicants and matriculants can be found here, through the AAMC website: https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/. I went ahead and figured out acceptance data using a simple formula: (# of matriculants by state of legal residence) / (# of applicants by state of legal residence) and this is what I got for 2012: FL, 41.6%; NY, 46.6%; CA, 42.2%; and TX, 41.8%. Those numbers include in-state and out-of-state matriculants. OP, applying to private schools that fall around your GPA/MCAT profile would be a better use of your time. I'd also recommend purchasing the MSAR to locate schools whose missions are in line with your values and career goals.

Of note: I'm a texas resident

 

[mehc012]

Provided his stats and ECs are good, I doubt this will be an issue. There are plenty of good reasons to move to a different state and I doubt the committee is that paranoid to assume that if he moves it is because he is trying to game the system. If this comes up in the interview he can certainly come up with an excuse.

Oh, no, I'm just pointing out that 'time to get the lawyers involved' is kind of moot in a process which is largely qualitative and thus there is no metric for whether the adcom gives you instate consideration or not. Also, it's far more applicable to someone with the 'buy property in TX' approach rather than someone who actually moves there.

 

[SunsFun]

The advantage that Texas residents have over non-Texas residents is overblown, if not outright incorrect. Besides California, Texas has the most number of its residents applying to medical schools, numbers which correlate to state population. Data on applicants and matriculants can be found here, through the AAMC website: https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/. I went ahead and figured out acceptance data using a simple formula: (# of matriculants by state of legal residence) / (# of applicants by state of legal residence) and this is what I got for 2012: Florida, 41.6%; NY, 46.6%; CA, 42.2%; and Texas, 41.8%. Those numbers include in-state and out-of-state matriculants. OP, applying to private schools that fall around your GPA/MCAT profile would be a better use of your time. I'd also recommend purchasing the MSAR to locate schools whose missions are in line with your values and career goals.

Of note: I'm a texas resident

Do these numbers include all of the UT school applicants who didn't fill out AMCAS?

 

[Selladore235]

Do these numbers include all of the UT school applicants who didn't fill out AMCAS?

SunsFun, that's a good question. I believe they do but I'm not sure. I used 3,733 for the number of TX applicants and, according to the MSAR, each TX school has a little over three-thousand in-state applicants, so I'd guess that includes non-AMCAS-filing (TMDSAS only) applicants.

EDIT: AMCAS states that these are numbers applying to US medical schools, so yes, probably includes those.

 

[DokterMom]

Do these numbers include all of the UT school applicants who didn't fill out AMCAS?

It would have to, since of the TX schools, only Baylor accepts the AMCAS; the others require the TMDSAS

 

[Ivory]

I think you are jumping the gun, you are too gung ho with too many options being thrown out there. I am a premed student in TX; but I have lived here all my life, Thank God.
IF you decide to invest in an RV and live that lifestyle, you are going to find it interfering with your studies bigtime.

I live in my van, I have built it to suit over the past yr and I have a certain personality that it calls for, but even with RVing, its not like going home and studying in the living room, you have to maintain propane, monitor your dry camping power usage, if you are in an RV you still have to locate an RV park near your school, its going to get complicated and your gpa will drop and it will get hectic; HOWEVER that is a good story for your MS interviews that will speak to them as far as motivation. Review the previous post on your thread about percentages via tmdsas and consider applying to your instate private schools also.

Note: I have gained an interesting lifestyle in my camper van that revolves easily around studying ALL THE TIME. You can inbox me if you are interested in off-grid/mcat lifestyle

 

[rainbow girl]

Data from tmdsas for Tx medical schools, except Baylor.
http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/Ten Year Statistical Data - Medical.pdf

 

[whatbout2morrow]

Do these numbers include all of the UT school applicants who didn't fill out AMCAS?

Yes it does. Baylor is the only school which uses the AMCAS for MD-only applicants in Texas and they have a class size of 185, hence the rest of the 1,560 matriculants mentioned in the table are matriculants of the TMDSAS schools (the UTs, A&M and Texas Techs).

 

[BlueLabel]

I live in my van... I have gained an interesting lifestyle in my camper van

WTF? Trippy strategy

 

[Ivory]

WTF? Trippy strategy

its not unheard of. ive had my share of curveballs thrown my direction; but being a good physician is also about overcoming obstacles effectively. I love my life regardless if I live in a mansion or a van.

 

[BlueLabel]

its not unheard of. ive had my share of curveballs thrown my direction; but being a good physician is also about overcoming obstacles effectively. I love my life regardless if I live in a mansion or a van.

Oh. For some reason when I first read your post I thought you were saying you elected to go that route to help you ace the MCAT. Either way, that's pretty cool/interesting, I've just never heard of someone doing that before. Good luck!

 

[Ivory]

Oh. For some reason when I first read your post I thought you were saying you elected to go that route to help you ace the MCAT. Either way, that's pretty cool/interesting, I've just never heard of someone doing that before. Good luck!

it does help me personally with study habits. you can inbox me if you have any questions on how I live...

 

[Reckoner]

I love my life regardless if I live in a mansion or a van.

Plus you're in good company!

 

[Isha2018]

Plus you're in good company!

...down by the river!

 

[Spicegirl07]

~ and I'm pretty sure it takes 2 years to be a resident in FL. It must be a bit difficult since all of the OOS ppl at my sister's school tried and only about 2 or 3 actually got it during 3rd year, the rest being unsuccessful. Also not all FL institutions have the same policy of allowing accepted OOS to become instate for tuition purposes. You can become residents of the state, but still have to pay OOS tuition. If you became a resident prior to applying that's a diff story I suppose.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

West Virginia might be a better bang for your bucks!

 

[petyr_baelish]

People talk about moving to Texas to get into med school then they find out that to be competitive you need a 3.7 + GPA.

Texas is not a good place for underdogs from what I know.

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

People talk about moving to Texas to get into med school then they find out that to be competitive you need a 3.7 + GPA.

Texas is not a good place for underdogs from what I know.

I'm not really sure that that is true. At least, it doesn't match up with everything I've read on SDN.

 

[petyr_baelish]

Check the average matriculant statistics for any of the Texas MD schools,.

I'm not really sure that that is true. At least, it doesn't match up with everything I've read on SDN.

http://www.ttuhsc.edu/fostersom/admissions/plfsom_stats_ey_2009.aspx

That's just one school. (The website URL says 2009 but it's actually the stats for 2012 and 2013).

Feel free to check others.

I live in Texas but will be applying broadly out of state for this reason.

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

Check the average matriculant statistics for any of the Texas MD schools,.


http://www.ttuhsc.edu/fostersom/admissions/plfsom_stats_ey_2009.aspx

That's just one school. (The website URL says 2009 but it's actually the stats for 2012 and 2013).

Feel free to check others.

I live in Texas but will be applying broadly out of state for this reason.

Well shoot, looks like I may be wrong.

http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/Final Statistics Report- EY13 - Medical.pdf

Looks like the average gpa is slightly higher than the national average, but the average MCAT is almost 2 points lower than the national average.

 

[Mad Jack]

My state only has one med school and my stats are too average, so I am considering moving to texas right after I graduate to set up residency there and apply as an in state student to texas med schools.

If I were to move in June right after undergrad, and then live there for a year while working some job (maybe as a scribe or something) and then in June a year after I move, I would apply to texas medical schools as an in state applicant.

You only need to live there for a year before applying, right? Or is it two years before applying?

Step 1: Rent a Uhaul.
Step 2: Throw your stuff in and drive to Texas.
Step 3: ????
Step 4: Acceptance!

It's really not all that hard. Just effing go there.

 

[Ivory]

Step 1: Rent a Uhaul.
Step 2: Throw your stuff in and drive to Texas.
Step 3: ????
Step 4: Acceptance!

It's really not all that hard. Just effing go there.

JUST GET A VAN PEOPLE!

 

[Mad Jack]

JUST GET A VAN PEOPLE!

Your one-piece Texas application kit.

 

[Ivory]

Your one-piece Texas application kit.

Haha... That's only if you are heading to Austin.

 

[petyr_baelish]

Ivory, so what's your story? what's it like living in a van? It's kind of reassuring to know that if the stuff hits the fan that one can maintain independence and still achieve goals. What's the rent like and do you have to deal with crazy people who live nearby?

 

[Ivory]

Ivory, so what's your story? what's it like living in a van? It's kind of reassuring to know that if the stuff hits the fan that one can maintain independence and still achieve goals. What's the rent like and do you have to deal with crazy people who live nearby?

you can PM me, I don't want to go too off-topic on this thread.

 

[WillburCobb]

...I don't want to go too off-topic on this thread.

Meh, its okay, its just one of streampaw's threads

 

[Ivory]

I carry a fn 9 and glock 27 in my van and usually go to the range once a month. I don't pay rent. I have places in various areas I park overnight and I have a "safehouse" list if I ever need to park somewhere and use a house-plug to charge my batteries, my batteries are deep cycle agm batteries that are made for slow discharge. I have a switch that charges them off of my alternator and I have a small solar set-up to top the batteries off when I am parked. The van is wired to where I have plugs like you have in the wall of your house. Other people in the van community pay "rent" in a secured parking lot/garage, usually about 50 dollars a month. I have running water and free electricity accessible anywhere I go. I had to make some alterations to the van when I first bought it, but I have nice desk space, closet area and full size bed that folds into a couch so I can stand up and change, etc. I shower at the gym and do what I can to not put myself in a bathroom situation. I have a propane stove, and I had a nice fridge but got rid of it bc it used around 1000w.

 

[Ivory]

Also, I have ADD and refuse to take medication, being in a van helps me in a round-about way as far as studying goes. I also have the freedom to drive to the beach one weekend and study a chapter in the sand. Life is short and this is what I wanted to do. I'll be ready whenever I have to relocate for medical school . It's not for everybody but it's brought me some quality happiness.

 

[Reckoner]

Also, I have ADD and refuse to take medication, being in a van helps me in a round-about way as far as studying goes. I also have the freedom to drive to the beach one weekend and study a chapter in the sand. Life is short and this is what I wanted to do. I'll be ready whenever I have to relocate for medical school . It's not for everybody but it's brought me some quality happiness.

What part of the country are you currently parked in, if you don't mind me asking? You sound like someone I'd like to have a beer with.

 

[Ivory]

What part of the country are you currently parked in, if you don't mind me asking? You sound like someone I'd like to have a beer with.

I live in Dallas Denton area of Texas however I am moving to Austin Texas in a few weeks

 

[Ivory]

in

What part of the country are you currently parked in, if you don't mind me asking? You sound like someone I'd like to have a beer with.

 

[TX515]

I would caution the OP about moving to TX. Yes it is the great state. But getting accepted into medical school is not as easy as it sounds. There are many schools, but there are many students, as TX is a big state. The TX applicants who are accepted are extremely well qualified, and not just "average". You will have to explain your gap year. In reality, you will have a tough time gaining an acceptance as a nontraditional student in the majority of TX schools. UT Southwestern, Baylor, and UTMB are arguably some of the best medical schools in the nation, with UTMB having the highest average board scores (USMLE step 1) last I heard.