Official Technion American Medical School Thread 2014 - 2015

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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PreMedSucks

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Hey! Haven't seen one of these. Anyone hear anything from Technion yet?
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what is Technion?
 
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Dr.Pepper2015 said:
Waitlisted. 30 MCAT 3.6 GPA
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Thats really surprising given your stats, any idea why? did you interview in NY? connection to Israel? how did the interview go? (feel free to PM me if you don't want to post this info)

Thanks!
 
Interview went great. I go to a top ten school undergrad and I'm published. My science GPA might be a little low. I also think Tehcnion cares a lot about individual grades in individual subjects because at my interview he basically just went through my grades one by one.
 
I also speak fluent Hebrew and am a licensed medic in Israel and a licensed paramedic in the United States.
 
Dr.Pepper2015 said:
I also speak fluent Hebrew and am a licensed medic in Israel and a licensed paramedic in the United States.
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I'm really surprised you got waitlisted, you seem like a great fit... Does Technion maybe waitlist many people, and then takes many off the waitlist later on? Or you think the waitlist doesn't have much movement?

Did you interview at Sackler too?
 
I did but my first choice is BGU/MSIH which I am interviewing for a week from today. At one point my technion interviewer asked me why I wanted to be a doctor instead of a social worker. I volunteer for a lot of programs and teach health in public schools (that have cut health education)...and some other stuff...I think I cam off as too much of a hippie and it seemed like I wasn't the right fit. Its frustrating because I want to have some security but truthfully it is the least good fit for me of the three. DOes anyone know how competitive the schools are relative to one another?
 
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Dr.Pepper2015 said:
I did but my first choice is BGU/MSIH which I am interviewing for a week from today. At one point my technion interviewer asked me why I wanted to be a doctor instead of a social worker. I volunteer for a lot of programs and teach health in public schools (that have cut health education)...and some other stuff...I think I cam off as too much of a hippie and it seemed like I wasn't the right fit. Its frustrating because I want to have some security but truthfully it is the least good fit for me of the three. DOes anyone know how competitive the schools are relative to one another?
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Thanks for the info! I'm not sure about relative competitiveness, but can you please tell me when you interviewed, and how long until you got the decision? Also, was it email or snail mail?

Thanks again!
Good luck!
 
Tman90 said:
Anecdotally, I would argue that the Israeli programs are a step up above the Caribbean programs because a) they are associated with American universities/hospitals (rather than paying for reserved slots, and technion is specifically associated with Cornell) and b) I know a lot of people who have matched competitive residencies in competitive places. Again this is anecdotal and maybe doesnt truly mean anything but I would hope that counts for something :)
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Be weary when foreign schools speak of affiliations with big name American schools. Usually it's little more than a marketing gimmick. Same goes for Sackler's being "recognized by the state of NY," it's a recognition without any real meaning in the real world.

I know people matching into super competitive specialties from bottom barrel carib schools (like below Ross, SABA, SGU, etc) but exceptions don't prove rules.
 
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The Israeli schools are a much higher caliber and competitiveness than Caribbean schools. Doctors who post here have noted they are considered similar to low-tier US MD schools. I think you're right that they each attract specific types of people; they're very niche. I am looking at one and I have a >35 MCAT. I definitely wouldn't go to the Caribbean, but I'm considering one of the Israeli schools.
 
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Qweras said:
The Israeli schools are a much higher caliber and competitiveness than Caribbean schools. Doctors who post here have noted they are considered similar to low-tier US MD schools. I think you're right that they each attract specific types of people; they're very niche. I am looking at one and I have a >35 MCAT. I definitely wouldn't go to the Caribbean, but I'm considering one of the Israeli schools.
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Harsh SDN advice time:

Higher than Carib: Probably. at the same level of low-tier LCME schools? not even close.

Look, Sacker etc. might give you a fine education, but your judgment and understanding of how things work in medical education and training are going to get called into question if you willingly put yourself into being an applicant thru the ECFMG.
 
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I heard about three weeks after my interview. Has anyone else heard anything? Do share!
 
Not sure why anyone would really consider going to school in Israel nowadays. As medical students, you have enough stress to deal with. No need to add the occasional (?) air raid sirens into the equation.
 
Qweras said:
The Israeli schools are a much higher caliber and competitiveness than Caribbean schools. Doctors who post here have noted they are considered similar to low-tier US MD schools. I think you're right that they each attract specific types of people; they're very niche. I am looking at one and I have a >35 MCAT. I definitely wouldn't go to the Caribbean, but I'm considering one of the Israeli schools.
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Why??
 
I got accepted and visited the school... not sure what to make of it. It is between this and NYIT for me. This is a difficult decision. Wish Sackler would just get back to me.
 
PreMedSucks said:
I got accepted and visited the school... not sure what to make of it. It is between this and NYIT for me. This is a difficult decision. Wish Sackler would just get back to me.
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lol You'd rather go to a foreign school over one of the elite D.O. schools?

.....aight.
 
NYCdude said:
lol You'd rather go to a foreign school over one of the elite D.O. schools?

.....aight.
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I'm getting mixed answers about this. On one hand, I have strong ties to Israel and my family lives there and think I would have a great lifestyle, but Im sure the education at NYIT might be better...
 
PreMedSucks said:
I'm getting mixed answers about this. On one hand, I have strong ties to Israel and my family lives there and think I would have a great lifestyle, but Im sure the education at NYIT might be better...
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It is a tough decision. I was accepted here and also have family in Israel and am struggling between the decision of going to the Technion or TUNCOM. I think that, objectively speaking, the education at the more established, American DO school would be better. However, the potential of getting top notch MD residencies is better at the Technion. It's also hard to know which stigma is worse. I think at a certain point you just have to make a decision and make the best of it.
 
Chemistry Cat said:
It is a tough decision. I was accepted here and also have family in Israel and am struggling between the decision of going to the Technion or TUNCOM. I think that, objectively speaking, the education at the more established, American DO school would be better. However, the potential of getting top notch MD residencies is better at the Technion. It's also hard to know which stigma is worse. I think at a certain point you just have to make a decision and make the best of it.
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Perfectly said. I visited technion and students seemed to be so relaxed, have long breaks, and really happy. At NYCOM they were also happy but definitely seemed to work harder. The education definitely seemed better there also. That being said, after you get into residency (which at technion I think the longer breaks allows you to work on better connections) does the foreign MD stigma really matter anymore?
 
PreMedSucks said:
Perfectly said. I visited technion and students seemed to be so relaxed, have long breaks, and really happy. At NYCOM they were also happy but definitely seemed to work harder. The education definitely seemed better there also. That being said, after you get into residency (which at technion I think the longer breaks allows you to work on better connections) does the foreign MD stigma really matter anymore?
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I don't think that the foreign stigma will matter after you get into a residency, especially since we would be getting a MD degree, not a MBBS. I don't know about you but I think I may be leaning towards the Technion.
 
How long did it take to hear back from Technion after sending all your stuff?
 
PreMedSucks said:
Perfectly said. I visited technion and students seemed to be so relaxed, have long breaks, and really happy. At NYCOM they were also happy but definitely seemed to work harder. The education definitely seemed better there also. That being said, after you get into residency (which at technion I think the longer breaks allows you to work on better connections) does the foreign MD stigma really matter anymore?
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1. Please don't ever judge a school on "student happiness." I come from a school that has an SDN reputation for happy students, yet I knew a lot of miserable people there for various reasons.

2. You make your connections while in school, not on your breaks. Hard to make connections while not in the same country.

Chemistry Cat said:
I don't think that the foreign stigma will matter after you get into a residency, especially since we would be getting a MD degree, not a MBBS. I don't know about you but I think I may be leaning towards the Technion.
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No one cares where you come from once you get in... but that's the problem. You need to land a residency first, and being a ECFMG applicant will put you in a much bigger hole in the application process than a DO.
 
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Has anyone heard anything from Technion lately? They are the only Israeli med school to not get back to me immediately after they received my completed application.
 
Got Accepted on 02/26! :soexcited:
I found out 3 weeks after interview.
 
Congratulations, Senk92. When did you apply and get the interview invitation? What are your stats?
 
Is there a FB group for those who have been accepted already??
 
Snivellus said:
Congratulations, Senk92. When did you apply and get the interview invitation? What are your stats?
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Thank you. I applied mid December, and was invited for an interview in early January. I had a 27 mcat and 3.9 cgpa. I also did a year of research. Some shadowing and volunteering. Any other questions, feel free to ask. Good luck to you guys. attachFull190488

kg24 said:
Is there a FB group for those who have been accepted already??
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I just got an email today saying they well be sending out invitations for the Facebook page soon.
 

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Did anyone notice only 12 people matched this year? Seems like a really low number .
 
From what I've heard, although I need to do more research, Technion is a better choice if you want to stay in Israel but as far as preparing you for the American exams and residencies it's not quite as good and because of that it sometimes takes students more than 4 years to finish (who are planning on returning to the states). I think the residencies that students get from the other schools (MSIH and Sackler) are better. But again, I'm not totally sure and still doing research. I have applied to Technion and MSIH. I got invited for an interview by Technion a few weeks ago but still never recieved an official date. I've already interviewed with MSIH.
 
Snivellus said:
Did anyone notice only 12 people matched this year? Seems like a really low number .
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The question is 12 out of how many? The answer is 12 out of 14. In a class of 20, 6 did not do the match because they are staying in Israel. the remaining 14 did the match and 12 matched. 12 out of 14 is 85%. Also, the 12 matched at awesome places.
 
That's what I was wondering. I had no clue what the class size was.
 
That is a small class. Our classes now are in the 30's.
 
The 2015 match list

U Michigan Internal Medicine (couples match)
Einstein/Jacobi Med Ctr-NY Pediatrics
North Shore-LIJ-NY Obstetrics-Gynecology
North Shore-LIJ -NY Internal Med
U Tennessee COM-Chattanooga Internal Medicine (couples match)
WSU/Detroit Med Ctr-MI Obstetrics-Gynecology (couples match)
Creedmoor Psych Ctr-NY Psychiatry
Einstein/Jacobi Med Ctr-NY Pediatrics
Einstein/Jacobi Med Ctr-NY Pediatrics
U Tennessee COM-Chattanooga Pediatrics (couples match)
Icahn SOM at Mount Sinai-NY Radiology
St. Barnabas, NJ Pathology
Elmhurst Hospital- NY Pediatrics
University of Colorado Surgery -prelim
 
shishlik said:
Yes, I am. We're very proud of our 4th years!
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Can you tell us more about what it's like to be a student there? What is the thesis like? What is it like living in Haifa? What do you think of the classes? Anything you want to share would be appreciated!
 
First of all I'm not too far along. Second, there is way too much to write here. It's probably better if you would just contact the school and ask to be put in touch with a student. Third- I'll try.

Being a student here is awesome. The hard part of being a student in Israel is the Israeli beaurocracy but once you get past the Israel stuff the school part is really great. The students here are amazing and the classes are really great. I was very surprised at the quality of the education here and based on me speaking to my friends in the states as well as our recent matches/ feedback from our 4th years as they returned from the states, the education here is on par with any school in the US. Our 4th years rotated with some of the best students and matched at some really great places. They all said they felt very well prepared when they were in the US and their placements show it.

Living in Haifa- that's a tougher one. Some people love it, some don't. We have a beach and Haifa has some really great places to go/things to do. We also have a really awesome group of students all living in the area right around the school which is a lot of fun. It's harder for a spouse that's not in school and I personally love it here.

Thesis- Some students are exempt since they have a masters and for other reasons (I don't remember the exemptions off hand.) I'm not exempt and am not looking forward to it. That being said, the 4th years told us that having done a thesis was a big plus when it came time to apply for residencies. It forces you to do research when otherwise you would not have and it's apparently very beneficial to have done when application time comes around. So all in all while I'm dreading it- it will only help me.

Hope that helps some.

Good luck
 
I strongly advise against going to school here. Unless you have a desire to stay in Israel after school, strong Hebrew skills, or simply an unwavering calling to study in Israel, do not go here. Yes, there are many positives, but the risks make these pale in comparison. I agree the school is a notch above Caribbean schools, but the problem is that many residency programs have never heard of the Technion and do not want to take the risk of taking a student from here. This is why so many people match into New York schools-- these schools are more IMG friendly and know of the Technion. Regarding this year's match list, the class was as a whole "successful" on paper, but many of these places were the students' lower choices. Medical school is meant to get you to residency, and this school doesn't do a good job of getting you there. It's getting tougher and tougher for the IMG crowd, and I really think that if you have options elsewhere, avoid this place. The administration tries to be helpful, but they simply don't have the man-power or experience to address students' needs. It's just too much of a gamble to come here. The affiliations the Technion has generally mean absolutely nothing-- for the vast majority, they don't help you secure clinical electives in your fourth year, etc. Also, the hospital experiences within Israel will leave any student struggling to adjust on their US rotations as they are much much less rigorous with lower expectations here. There is no adequate preparation doing SOAP notes, pt presentations, case management, etc. And if you don't happen to speak Hebrew fluently, you miss a HUGE part of your education bc you can't gain from meetings, journal clubs, rounds, pt interviews. Of course you can do well on boards (although the school struggles to adequately prepare students) and these scores can take you far, and there are benefits of being here (very hands-on, cultural competence, forces resilience with all the difficulties of living here, the doctors have impressive knowledge, huge diversity in care), but it's not worth the gamble, especially with the huge disadvantage IMGs face as more and more medical students apply for a static amount of residency spots. The Technion has matched well in the past, but it's become harder and will continue to be harder. Obviously, if this is your only option, then you can make it to residency, but you will likely be settling for less than you want even with all of your hard work. Medical school is hard enough on its own; don't make it harder on yourself by coming here. There have been so many hassles of trying to get even the simplest of things done here or trying to get needed information, and you want a program to help you with these basic needs. It's not a good sign when most of your class is ready to leave the Technion and never look back. If I had known what I know now, I would not have come here unless I had no other option.
 
MooDoc15 said:
I strongly advise against going to school here. Unless you have a desire to stay in Israel after school, strong Hebrew skills, or simply an unwavering calling to study in Israel, do not go here. Yes, there are many positives, but the risks make these pale in comparison. I agree the school is a notch above Caribbean schools, but the problem is that many residency programs have never heard of the Technion and do not want to take the risk of taking a student from here. This is why so many people match into New York schools-- these schools are more IMG friendly and know of the Technion. Regarding this year's match list, the class was as a whole "successful" on paper, but many of these places were the students' lower choices. Medical school is meant to get you to residency, and this school doesn't do a good job of getting you there. It's getting tougher and tougher for the IMG crowd, and I really think that if you have options elsewhere, avoid this place. The administration tries to be helpful, but they simply don't have the man-power or experience to address students' needs. It's just too much of a gamble to come here. The affiliations the Technion has generally mean absolutely nothing-- for the vast majority, they don't help you secure clinical electives in your fourth year, etc. Also, the hospital experiences within Israel will leave any student struggling to adjust on their US rotations as they are much much less rigorous with lower expectations here. There is no adequate preparation doing SOAP notes, pt presentations, case management, etc. And if you don't happen to speak Hebrew fluently, you miss a HUGE part of your education bc you can't gain from meetings, journal clubs, rounds, pt interviews. Of course you can do well on boards (although the school struggles to adequately prepare students) and these scores can take you far, and there are benefits of being here (very hands-on, cultural competence, forces resilience with all the difficulties of living here, the doctors have impressive knowledge, huge diversity in care), but it's not worth the gamble, especially with the huge disadvantage IMGs face as more and more medical students apply for a static amount of residency spots. The Technion has matched well in the past, but it's become harder and will continue to be harder. Obviously, if this is your only option, then you can make it to residency, but you will likely be settling for less than you want even with all of your hard work. Medical school is hard enough on its own; don't make it harder on yourself by coming here. There have been so many hassles of trying to get even the simplest of things done here or trying to get needed information, and you want a program to help you with these basic needs. It's not a good sign when most of your class is ready to leave the Technion and never look back. If I had known what I know now, I would not have come here unless I had no other option.
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I don't know if you can answer this, but do you have any idea how the other schools in Israel (specifically MSIH but also Sackler) compare to Technion with regard to the problems you've stated?
 
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