USF MSMS 2015 Application Thread

[slimjim90]

Hi all, I completed this program last year so if you have any specific questions feel free to ask or PM. Overall, I thought the program was ok. It's beneficial for those who need to boost their GPA and are serious about working hard. That being said, this program is not as difficult as some people are making it out to be. To study 50-70 hours seems a bit excessive. I think I studied maybe 10-20 hours a week while working. The first semester is pretty easy, especially if you've already taken biochem/genetics which I had. I would recommend doing extra-curriculars (shadowing) during this time because it is the easiest semester (even though a lot of people recommended waiting until at least the first test so make sure you are able to handle the workload). Second semester is a bit tougher but I liked it more, the classes were more interesting imo and curves are generous. I don't think it was "cut-throat" either; the students were all helpful and shared a lot of resources via the FB page. The main cons to this program are the price (it might be cheaper to take classes on your own but this program certainly is convenient). Also, very few to a handful of people end up matriculating into USF's med school and honestly, the people who did probably would've gotten in regardless (high MCAT's and ok undergrad stats). It seems like a lot of people ended up doing DO, although that is probably due to their MCAT score and not the program. Last recommendation-get your MCAT out of the way before the program or during the 1st semester. The class they offer is Princeton Review, which is available anyway. Hope this helps!

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[NYTID1]

How reliable are the lecture recordings? is it posted in a timely manner? Do you think it is necessary to attend lecture since its recorded because I plan to work also.

 

[slimjim90]

How reliable are the lecture recordings? is it posted in a timely manner? Do you think it is necessary to attend lecture since its recorded because I plan to work also.

The recordings are posted a few hours after lecture. They are generally reliable. There were a few times (~3-5) where the lecture didn't get recorded due to a technical issue or you couldn't hear the professor. Like I said before, the students are very helpful and a lot of my peers shared their notes and once someone was able to get a recording of a lecture from the year before. Attending lecture is up to you. I always made it a point to attend because I didn't like having to listen to the recordings (personal preference) unless I missed something. Classes are at an inconvenient time of the day (2-5) so it is hard to incorporate work into that schedule. That being said, the recordings are meant as an extra tool so the staff/professors didn't have sympathy for people who complained when the lectures weren't recorded. But yes, it is do-able.

 

[mabemo]

Hi all, I completed this program last year so if you have any specific questions feel free to ask or PM. Overall, I thought the program was ok. It's beneficial for those who need to boost their GPA and are serious about working hard. That being said, this program is not as difficult as some people are making it out to be. To study 50-70 hours seems a bit excessive. I think I studied maybe 10-20 hours a week while working. The first semester is pretty easy, especially if you've already taken biochem/genetics which I had. I would recommend doing extra-curriculars (shadowing) during this time because it is the easiest semester (even though a lot of people recommended waiting until at least the first test so make sure you are able to handle the workload). Second semester is a bit tougher but I liked it more, the classes were more interesting imo and curves are generous. I don't think it was "cut-throat" either; the students were all helpful and shared a lot of resources via the FB page. The main cons to this program are the price (it might be cheaper to take classes on your own but this program certainly is convenient). Also, very few to a handful of people end up matriculating into USF's med school and honestly, the people who did probably would've gotten in regardless (high MCAT's and ok undergrad stats). It seems like a lot of people ended up doing DO, although that is probably due to their MCAT score and not the program. Last recommendation-get your MCAT out of the way before the program or during the 1st semester. The class they offer is Princeton Review, which is available anyway. Hope this helps!

Hey, Quick question. I know that Friday class sessions are not mandatory and that they are Q&A sessions. I'm planing on working on fridays, do you think that it will hurt me much if I don't attend these sessions?

 

[slimjim90]

Hey, Quick question. I know that Friday class sessions are not mandatory and that they are Q&A sessions. I'm planing on working on fridays, do you think that it will hurt me much if I don't attend these sessions?

No. I went to the first few because the professor's and staff highly encourage it and every time I went it was a waste of time. You spend a lot of time listening to other people's questions which wasn't beneficial to me. I don't think it is necessary to attend unless you have questions about the material. Some people probably went so they could make an appearance for LOR's but you can do the same thing before or after class. Occasionally, it is helpful to go before tests. Some professors gave extra practice questions or emphasized certain points but they usually end up on the fb page. It was pointless 90% of the time.

 

[mabemo]

No. I went to the first few because the professor's and staff highly encourage it and every time I went it was a waste of time. You spend a lot of time listening to other people's questions which wasn't beneficial to me. I don't think it is necessary to attend unless you have questions about the material. Some people probably went so they could make an appearance for LOR's but you can do the same thing before or after class. Occasionally, it is helpful to go before tests. Some professors gave extra practice questions or emphasized certain points but they usually end up on the fb page. It was pointless 90% of the time.

oh ok thank you, what are LOR's?

 

[slimjim90]

oh ok thank you, what are LOR's?

letters of recommendation

 

[mabemo]

OTE="slimjim90, post: 16663003, member: 612889"]letters of recommendation[/QUOTE]
Duh lol thank you!

 

[Akewataru]

Hey folks. I applied to this program rather late in the cycle even with the extension due to taking the April MCAT. I believe USF extended the the priority application deadline to July 1st because the April and May MCAT results came out June 16th and 30th respectively. There might have been a significant amount of applicants that took the new exam. That's my theory anyway...My application was marked as complete on June 30th. How long does it take to hear back from admissions? Anyone here still waiting to hear back?

 

[Akewataru]

Hi all, I completed this program last year so if you have any specific questions feel free to ask or PM. Overall, I thought the program was ok. It's beneficial for those who need to boost their GPA and are serious about working hard. That being said, this program is not as difficult as some people are making it out to be. To study 50-70 hours seems a bit excessive. I think I studied maybe 10-20 hours a week while working. The first semester is pretty easy, especially if you've already taken biochem/genetics which I had. I would recommend doing extra-curriculars (shadowing) during this time because it is the easiest semester (even though a lot of people recommended waiting until at least the first test so make sure you are able to handle the workload). Second semester is a bit tougher but I liked it more, the classes were more interesting imo and curves are generous. I don't think it was "cut-throat" either; the students were all helpful and shared a lot of resources via the FB page. The main cons to this program are the price (it might be cheaper to take classes on your own but this program certainly is convenient). Also, very few to a handful of people end up matriculating into USF's med school and honestly, the people who did probably would've gotten in regardless (high MCAT's and ok undergrad stats). It seems like a lot of people ended up doing DO, although that is probably due to their MCAT score and not the program. Last recommendation-get your MCAT out of the way before the program or during the 1st semester. The class they offer is Princeton Review, which is available anyway. Hope this helps!

Did you take the Medical Science Success Skills course? I'm sure that the course will have changed due to the content of the new exam, however if you did take the course did you and your classmates feel ready to take the MCAT again?

Gross Anatomy course? Directed Research course?

 

[metoo]

Hey folks. I applied to this program rather late in the cycle even with the extension due to taking the April MCAT. I believe USF extended the the priority application deadline to July 1st because the April and May MCAT results came out June 16th and 30th respectively. There might have been a significant amount of applicants that took the new exam. That's my theory anyway...My application was marked as complete on June 30th. How long does it take to hear back from admissions? Anyone here still waiting to hear back?

It all depends on how competitive your application is. When you research the thread you'll see competitive applicants who were accepted 1 to 2 weeks after completion. I on the other hand was not very competitive at all and waited over 3 months before being accepted. I also believe that being a Florida resident will get you accepted faster as well.

 

[slimjim90]

Did you take the Medical Science Success Skills course? I'm sure that the course will have changed due to the content of the new exam, however if you did take the course did you and your classmates feel ready to take the MCAT again?

Gross Anatomy course? Directed Research course?

I believe the Success Skills course is something they make people who are struggling with the classes take...I'm not sure though because I did not take it, doesn't seem beneficial besides a very superficial GPA booster/fluff class. The MCAT class was a straight up Princeton Review class, nothing special about it besides the fact you get a grade. My friend who took it in the fall ended up with the same MCAT score as her previous score; interpret that however you want. I would recommend Kaplan bc that's what I took. PR is known to teach less of the material (~80%). They ended up canceling the spring MCAT class bc not enough people signed up. I didn't take the anatomy lab but everyone who did loved it! It is a bit of a time dedication and you can only take it if you get an A in Anatomy. I also did not do research so I can't help out there, unfortunately.

 

[Akewataru]

It all depends on how competitive your application is. When you research the thread you'll see competitive applicants who were accepted 1 to 2 weeks after completion. I on the other hand was not very competitive at all and waited over 3 months before being accepted. I also believe that being a Florida resident will get you accepted faster as well.

Although I live out of state, I am still a Florida resident. My GPA is 3.42, and my MCAT score is a woeful and unbalanced 491 which is equivalent to a 20 on the old test. I didn't really prepare for the test as I was taking full time load and working full time. I've been eyeing this program for a few years so in undergrad I took the same courses. I hope they see that.

 

[NYTID1]

1) In most classes are the lectures based on the BOOK or Powerpoint?
2) How difficult are the test and how well does it coincide with the book/power point/Lecture?

In general what are your tips for doing well on tests?

 

[Brettla16]

Hey folks. I applied to this program rather late in the cycle even with the extension due to taking the April MCAT. I believe USF extended the the priority application deadline to July 1st because the April and May MCAT results came out June 16th and 30th respectively. There might have been a significant amount of applicants that took the new exam. That's my theory anyway...My application was marked as complete on June 30th. How long does it take to hear back from admissions? Anyone here still waiting to hear back?

I turned mine in June 1st. Completed June 9th. Still waiting...

 

[slimjim90]

1) In most classes are the lectures based on the BOOK or Powerpoint?
2) How difficult are the test and how well does it coincide with the book/power point/Lecture?

In general what are your tips for doing well on tests?

1) Almost exclusively Powerpoint. You could get away with not having a book for most of the classes. The only classes I recommend the book for are: Anatomy, technically Genetics bc he will assign a FEW specific pages to read or a figure to look at but this will usually be posted to the FB page, Physiology/embryology if you want help understanding concepts but you could get away with just lecture for these too, Ethics bc quizzes come straight from the book (ie the questions that are on the ONLINE quiz will be the same questions at the end of each chapter...you can also share books). Perhaps Histology but if I remember correctly none of the pictures on the exam came from the book and were either from the Powerpoint or Virtual Scope. Pretty pissed I bought most of the books and never once used them (Biochem, Immuno, Pharm, Path, etc).

2) I didn't think the tests were that difficult; I was actually surprised at how easy some of the tests were; all multiple choice except ethics which was fill in the blank/multiple choice. Almost all the questions came from lecture. There are some difficult tests in Immuno and Physio bc people aren't used to applying their knowledge but the curves for those will be decent. Word of advice for these tests: make sure you know the "easier" material inside and out bc those will be guaranteed points on the test. For example, one of the killer physio tests was the pulmonology(hard) and endocrinolgy(easy)...I procrastinated horribly during this time so I literally just studied the endocrinology and knew everything perfectly (didn't even look at pulm)...with the curve I ended up with an 88 on that test. Obviously, I don't recommend procrastinating like I did but I'm trying to illustrate a point-- knowing the easier concepts/lectures will go a long way (the lectures get an equal number of questions per test). Also, pharmacology was just a lot of info but if you manage your time and study efficiently, you'll do fine. Remember it's all relative though-- I struggled in Anatomy, which most people found easy.

Tips: Know the lectures and what I said ^ there.

 

[sa3]

1) Almost exclusively Powerpoint. You could get away with not having a book for most of the classes. The only classes I recommend the book for are: Anatomy, technically Genetics bc he will assign a FEW specific pages to read or a figure to look at but this will usually be posted to the FB page, Physiology/embryology if you want help understanding concepts but you could get away with just lecture for these too, Ethics bc quizzes come straight from the book (ie the questions that are on the ONLINE quiz will be the same questions at the end of each chapter...you can also share books). Perhaps Histology but if I remember correctly none of the pictures on the exam came from the book and were either from the Powerpoint or Virtual Scope. Pretty pissed I bought most of the books and never once used them (Biochem, Immuno, Pharm, Path, etc).

2) I didn't think the tests were that difficult; I was actually surprised at how easy some of the tests were; all multiple choice except ethics which was fill in the blank/multiple choice. Almost all the questions came from lecture. There are some difficult tests in Immuno and Physio bc people aren't used to applying their knowledge but the curves for those will be decent. Word of advice for these tests: make sure you know the "easier" material inside and out bc those will be guaranteed points on the test. For example, one of the killer physio tests was the pulmonology(hard) and endocrinolgy(easy)...I procrastinated horribly during this time so I literally just studied the endocrinology and knew everything perfectly (didn't even look at pulm)...with the curve I ended up with an 88 on that test. Obviously, I don't recommend procrastinating like I did but I'm trying to illustrate a point-- knowing the easier concepts/lectures will go a long way (the lectures get an equal number of questions per test). Also, pharmacology was just a lot of info but if you manage your time and study efficiently, you'll do fine. Remember it's all relative though-- I struggled in Anatomy, which most people found easy.

Tips: Know the lectures and what I said ^ there.

Do you by any chance have the schedule for testing from last fall?

 

[Chemist1986]

Hello,

I completed my application in the beginning of March and I still haven't received any news.

I'm from out-of-state so that could be why it's taking a while, but I did my undergraduate at The University of Tampa down the street.


Hoping I hear news soon!

 

[Fsu92]

Anyone have any tips to study for the MCAT while in this program?

 

[Akewataru]

Update!

I received an email that I was accepted into the program this afternoon. This is exactly 3 weeks after my application was received. I can't wait to get started August 24th! It's do or die folks.

 

[Future15D.O.]

Update!

I received an email that I was accepted into the program this afternoon. This is exactly 3 weeks after my application was received. I can't wait to get started August 24th! It's do or die folks.

Congrats!

 

[Future15D.O.]

Did anyone receive an invitation to orientation, August 18th. Is it mandatory? Also, does anyone know how many people they're accepting this year. I have a friend that applied and her status says that her application is still under review? At what point should she be worried? When do they send out rejection letters?

 

[Future15D.O.]

Anyone have any tips to study for the MCAT while in this program?

I'm in the same boat. I signed up for the MCAT review class, plus I'm using this summer to get a jump start on studying. I plan to take my MCAT during the winter break. I'm also currently retaking some refresher courses this summer to help with the MCAT. I plan to not work this year and just focus on getting good grades and preparing for the MCAT. Hopefully we can form a MCAT study group during the program that will help. Anyone else has suggestions, please feel free to comment. Has anyone had success with the Princeton Review MCAT course?

 

[NYTID1]

Did anyone receive an invitation to orientation, August 18th. Is it mandatory? Also, does anyone know how many people they're accepting this year. I have a friend that applied and her status says that her application is still under review? At what point should she be worried? When do they send out rejection letters?

The orientation is for the MS preprofessional track is on the 19th and yes it is mandatory

 

[Chemist1986]

Anyone else freaking out by now??

If I get in, I'll be moving across the country for this, but still no word and orientation starts three weeks from today...

I've turned down good jobs and promotions to go back to school and it's really stressful to be led along like this.

Hoping for the best!

 

[metoo]

Anyone else freaking out by now??

If I get in, I'll be moving across the country for this, but still no word and orientation starts three weeks from today...

I've turned down good jobs and promotions to go back to school and it's really stressful to be led along like this.

Hoping for the best!

I know how you feel. I turned down two jobs and waited over 3 months before I got an answer. I really do wish you the best. I'm praying for you.

 

[diehappy]

Can I ask why you had to quit your job to apply?

 

[CiaraToinetta]

Anyone else freaking out by now??

If I get in, I'll be moving across the country for this, but still no word and orientation starts three weeks from today...

I've turned down good jobs and promotions to go back to school and it's really stressful to be led along like this.

Hoping for the best!

I definitely understand where you're coming being that I was in a similar situation. I suggest that you contact Emily Barton and send an email to the admissions committee explaining your circumstances.

 

[Future15D.O.]

I heard they accept people until August, so there is still a chance. I wonder when they send out rejection letters. Stay hopeful.

 

[Gynn]

Hello all,

I'm entering my last semester of the online MSMS program. Feel free to ask me questions or if you're planning on moving down for the in person classes maybe I can direct you to the nicer areas to live .

 

[metoo]

Hello all,

I'm entering my last semester of the online MSMS program. Feel free to ask me questions or if you're planning on moving down for the in person classes maybe I can direct you to the nicer areas to live .

Have you been able to get LOR from any of your professors?

 

[Gynn]

Have you been able to get LOR from any of your professors?

Yes, all but two professors have been really helpful on my journey. I think they understand why we enter in to the program so most are willing to help or answer questions. I had one professor who was kind enough to sit and give me a mock interview and critique it. The courses were not too bad just as long as you studied and put in the effort--However you can't just blow them off. All of our tests are done in blocks. So, the exams are given back to back to back. So it's all about prioritizing and time management. Most of us enter in the program to fill in a gap year or to boost our GPA. Mine, obviously was for the latter. Summer grades haven't come out yet, but I should come out with a 3.8 if I don't mess up this last semester *crosses fingers*. We'll see. If you're planning on doing the program and are going to take your DAT/MCAT in the summer, DON'T. You will have two summer classes that will require two quizzes and a paper every week. It was overwhelming trying to balance studying and mostly the papers. I would take my test before summer so that you're not burned out.

 

[FP2013]

Hello all,

I'm entering my last semester of the online MSMS program. Feel free to ask me questions or if you're planning on moving down for the in person classes maybe I can direct you to the nicer areas to live .

Hi! I will be starting the online MSMS program this month and I just have a few questions. Were the textbooks necessary for each of the courses or were the PowerPoints given suffice? Did you guys have a FB group for your specific online program? Were exams given at a specific time during the day or did you get to choose your exam time ( I work full time so I've been wondering how to plan for this)? Did you ever get the opportunity to meet with your professors in person/ do they allow it? I'm sorry for bombarding you with questions, you are the first person here that actually did the online program! =)

 

[Gynn]

Hi! I will be starting the online MSMS program this month and I just have a few questions. Were the textbooks necessary for each of the courses or were the PowerPoints given suffice? Did you guys have a FB group for your specific online program? Were exams given at a specific time during the day or did you get to choose your exam time ( I work full time so I've been wondering how to plan for this)? Did you ever get the opportunity to meet with your professors in person/ do they allow it? I'm sorry for bombarding you with questions, you are the first person here that actually did the online program! =)

For the first semester you will definitely need the textbook for biochem. For anatomy, we used a software to simulate a "gross anatomy lab". I thought the textbook was somewhat helpful. The professor throws a lot of information at you. You will need the textbook for histology, but you will also need to study his powerpoint as well. As for exams, Biochem was open from Thursday-Friday for 24 hours, Histology and Anatomy opened on Friday-Saturday and closed at 4pm. We also had a Biochem case study that we had to do that had to be done by 4pm on Sunday, if I remember correctly. It seems so far away. I can't believe that I'm finishing. It will breeze by . The only problem that I ran into with exams was doing the summer in which one of the classes quizzes was open for one day only between the hours of 8:30-5pm. Well, if you work full time, which most of us did, there's no way you can get that done. After going, over our professor's head, he extended the quiz time to 7 pm. Summer was not fun at all. It was more stressful than the school year. The professors allow you to schedule office hours by appointment, most would prefer you to contact them through email. However, they have no problem meeting. Let me know if you think of any more questions! I'd be more than happy to answer them

 

[FP2013]

For the first semester you will definitely need the textbook for biochem. For anatomy, we used a software to simulate a "gross anatomy lab". I thought the textbook was somewhat helpful. The professor throws a lot of information at you. You will need the textbook for histology, but you will also need to study his powerpoint as well. As for exams, Biochem was open from Thursday-Friday for 24 hours, Histology and Anatomy opened on Friday-Saturday and closed at 4pm. We also had a Biochem case study that we had to do that had to be done by 4pm on Sunday, if I remember correctly. It seems so far away. I can't believe that I'm finishing. It will breeze by . The only problem that I ran into with exams was doing the summer in which one of the classes quizzes was open for one day only between the hours of 8:30-5pm. Well, if you work full time, which most of us did, there's no way you can get that done. After going, over our professor's head, he extended the quiz time to 7 pm. Summer was not fun at all. It was more stressful than the school year. The professors allow you to schedule office hours by appointment, most would prefer you to contact them through email. However, they have no problem meeting. Let me know if you think of any more questions! I'd be more than happy to answer them

Thank you so much for answering in such detail, you have no idea how much I appreciate your insight! So far I only have the biochem book due to the fact that none of the other textbook information have been posted yet ( if you by any chance remember what book was needed for histology I would greatly appreciate it) . Do you feel it is possible to maintain a high GPA in this program so far? How are the classes structure ( i.e live classes online or just discussion boards and PowerPoint uploaded)? Thank you!

 

[Gynn]

Thank you so much for answering in such detail, you have no idea how much I appreciate your insight! So far I only have the biochem book due to the fact that none of the other textbook information have been posted yet ( if you by any chance remember what book was needed for histology I would greatly appreciate it) . Do you feel it is possible to maintain a high GPA in this program so far? How are the classes structure ( i.e live classes online or just discussion boards and PowerPoint uploaded)? Thank you!

Textbooks: Histology was "Color Textbook of Histology: Third Edition" by Leslie P. Gartner and Anatomy was "Essential Clinical Anatomy: Fourth Edition" by Keith L. Moore. As for GPA, it is possible when you put in the effort. It is possible to stay within the 3.5-3.8 range (the key is to put in the effort). With the papers, you are not going to get by with putting in the bare minimum. Be concise, but pay attention to details. They will give an example of what they consider "A work" when it comes to papers. Use that as a guideline.

Class set up: They will throw you straight in. Each class has a course calendar and a syllabus. The Course calendar will be your best friend. I bought a dry erase calendar from Walmart for $10 and put all of my due dates and also tracked when I should be studying on there. That worked for me, may not work for everyone. Luckily, Canvas will remind you of all due dates on the right hand side of the home screen to help you keep your sanity. Each Unit (or module) will consist of PowerPoints, recorded materials, supplemental materials, or whatever the professor thinks that you need to be successful in the class. You will be required to take quizzes before you take the actual unit test. The quizzes do not count toward your grade, most people blow them off, but TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY-they allow you to see what you know and don't know. There will also be a discussion board for you to bounce questions off of the people enrolled in the course with you. Some professors like for you to do that first before you bother them. I feel like I am rambling now so I am going to leave it there lol.

 

[takesanocean]

Hey guys! I have a question about the MSMS. I applied and was accepted into the program for the Neuroscience/Aging Research Track Concentration for this fall which I had been planning on attending. I was under the initial impression that this was pretty much the same as the pre-professional track but with additional courses for the concentration (I don't mind having to do extra courses). However, I found out that while some courses do overlap, it's pretty much a separate program. My plans are for applying for medical school so would this still be enough for adcoms or would I have to switch over to the pre-professional track (if I even can at this point)? If not would it be worth it to stay in this msms or switch over to a different program (which I wouldn't be able to do until spring 2016). Has anyone done this track and applied for medical school afterwards?? Please help!

 

[FP2013]

Textbooks: Histology was "Color Textbook of Histology: Third Edition" by Leslie P. Gartner and Anatomy was "Essential Clinical Anatomy: Fourth Edition" by Keith L. Moore. As for GPA, it is possible when you put in the effort. It is possible to stay within the 3.5-3.8 range (the key is to put in the effort). With the papers, you are not going to get by with putting in the bare minimum. Be concise, but pay attention to details. They will give an example of what they consider "A work" when it comes to papers. Use that as a guideline.

Class set up: They will throw you straight in. Each class has a course calendar and a syllabus. The Course calendar will be your best friend. I bought a dry erase calendar from Walmart for $10 and put all of my due dates and also tracked when I should be studying on there. That worked for me, may not work for everyone. Luckily, Canvas will remind you of all due dates on the right hand side of the home screen to help you keep your sanity. Each Unit (or module) will consist of PowerPoints, recorded materials, supplemental materials, or whatever the professor thinks that you need to be successful in the class. You will be required to take quizzes before you take the actual unit test. The quizzes do not count toward your grade, most people blow them off, but TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY-they allow you to see what you know and don't know. There will also be a discussion board for you to bounce questions off of the people enrolled in the course with you. Some professors like for you to do that first before you bother them. I feel like I am rambling now so I am going to leave it there lol.

Thank you so much for the advice! That dry erase board is a good idea, especially if there are specific times for exams like you said. Just one more quick question, did you think meeting in person with the professors made it easier/ more likely to receive a LOR from them? I'm just concerned bout being able to communicate enough with the professors to be able to even justify asking for one. Again, thanking you for sharing your experience and advice! =D

 

[Gynn]

Thank you so much for the advice! That dry erase board is a good idea, especially if there are specific times for exams like you said. Just one more quick question, did you think meeting in person with the professors made it easier/ more likely to receive a LOR from them? I'm just concerned bout being able to communicate enough with the professors to be able to even justify asking for one. Again, thanking you for sharing your experience and advice! =D

I did not have any trouble receiving LOR from the professors and I did not step foot into any of their offices throughout my time (mainly because I was teaching when they had office hours). But, when I did request, they asked to meet with me. You can bring your resume, personal statement, I also brought a blurb about me and why I chose the field that I would hopefully be applying for. By all means, meet with them! It gives a chance for them to see who you are, makes your more personable, and they will be able to write a better LOR because you have established that relationship with them. The ones that I requested letters from were understanding that I work full time and could not make it to campus so it all worked out in my favor!

 

[buffdentist]

.

 

[buffdentist]

Hey guys I noticed that there wasn't a Facebook group for all of us to discuss things so I created one. The page that the school made isn't really ideal to talk about classes and other things. Here it is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/308586485978490/

Looking forward to seeing all of you in a few weeks!

 

[Chemist1986]

Hey guys! I have a question about the MSMS. I applied and was accepted into the program for the Neuroscience/Aging Research Track Concentration for this fall which I had been planning on attending. I was under the initial impression that this was pretty much the same as the pre-professional track but with additional courses for the concentration (I don't mind having to do extra courses). However, I found out that while some courses do overlap, it's pretty much a separate program. My plans are for applying for medical school so would this still be enough for adcoms or would I have to switch over to the pre-professional track (if I even can at this point)? If not would it be worth it to stay in this msms or switch over to a different program (which I wouldn't be able to do until spring 2016). Has anyone done this track and applied for medical school afterwards?? Please help!

Same thing for me! I am going to definitely take the MCAT Success Skills class which is a big reason why I wanted to come to this program. I hope to get a better MCAT score and have this Masters GPA on my transcript for the next time I apply to medical school. Has anyone done this track and gone on to medical or graduate school?

 

[Future15D.O.]

Same thing for me! I am going to definitely take the MCAT Success Skills class which is a big reason why I wanted to come to this program. I hope to get a better MCAT score and have this Masters GPA on my transcript for the next time I apply to medical school. Has anyone done this track and gone on to medical or graduate school?

Oh wow! Did you sign up for the course yet? I'm wondering if they provide the book for the course or do we have to purchase it ourselves.

 

[Akewataru]

Hello all,

I'm entering my last semester of the online MSMS program. Feel free to ask me questions or if you're planning on moving down for the in person classes maybe I can direct you to the nicer areas to live .

Will there be graded assignments such as papers to write, discussion boards, quizzes, aside from the tests in each of the classes? If so, how often?
This coming summer I was planning on coming back to Temple Terrace, FL for the semester and take the Gross Anatomy Lab, Medical Science Success Skills, and the Directed Research course. However, from how you describe time demands of the Clinical Correlations and Ethics courses makes me very uneasy to take all three elective classes. Do those courses really have that much work in them?
On a final note, do you know whether USF offers housing for grad students? Do you know whether the surrounding apartments complexes are student friendly (furnished, do three month leases, or at least month to month?).
Many thanks!

 

[Akewataru]

Oh wow! Did you sign up for the course yet? I'm wondering if they provide the book for the course or do we have to purchase it ourselves.

Excerpt from course flyer:

Medical Sciences MCAT Success Skills
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The most comprehensive MCAT prep experience including:
 210+ hours of prep covering all content areas – Biology, Physics and Math, Organic Chemistry,
General Chemistry, and Verbal Reasoning
 75 hours of live, in person instruction
 135+ hours of online resources with questions, answers and explanations
 19 full-length practice, tests including all 8 AAMC tests
 15 diagnostic exams: 10 proprietary and 5 AAMC diagnostics
 4,300+ pages of up-to-date study materials

COURSE REGISTRATION:
To complete registration, students must contact The Princeton Review at 1-800-2REVIEW ext. 5572 and
provide payment information for materials fee of $250.00 for the course.

 

[Gynn]

Will there be graded assignments such as papers to write, discussion boards, quizzes, aside from the tests in each of the classes? If so, how often?
This coming summer I was planning on coming back to Temple Terrace, FL for the semester and take the Gross Anatomy Lab, Medical Science Success Skills, and the Directed Research course. However, from how you describe time demands of the Clinical Correlations and Ethics courses makes me very uneasy to take all three elective classes. Do those courses really have that much work in them?
On a final note, do you know whether USF offers housing for grad students? Do you know whether the surrounding apartments complexes are student friendly (furnished, do three month leases, or at least month to month?).
Many thanks!

Each class is different, for those of us who are in the online classes--we are required to pass quizzes (that do not count for a grade) before we can access the test. These help you know what you know and don't know. As for discussions, my first semester I do not remember having any besides answering case studies for biochem. I believe that we had two papers for anatomy and histology, they were spread out through the semester--either a week or a couple days apart from each other so I wasn't too stressed--but I believe papers were inconveniently close to the times where I felt like I could be studying for midterms and finals. There were other assignments also, for example we had to rebuild pieces of the body using the software for gross anatomy and make a powerpoint--don't freak out--it's easy and it helps you to remember the function of the structures. Semester 2: Genetics was all about discussions--probably my favorite class of the semester. We also had two papers. Microbiology: Two papers as well--I do not remember any discussions, also another interesting class for me.

I would not suggest taking all three courses. Those aren't a requirement from my understanding? Please correct me if I am wrong. Ethics, you will do fine. Read the chapter, take the associated quiz, and do your three discussion board posts. The problem with summer is everything was crammed. At the beginning of ethics we had to complete two CITI modules that required a bunch of reading and taking the associated quizzes in the modules. We had a week to do it I believe. We also had a paper to complete as well within that week. Clinical Correlations will take up a good portion of your time, but if you do not work it is manageable. You could read the chapter and do a question a day to knock out the paper and that will also provide you with the knowledge to prepare for the quiz for that class. Summer goes like this: Two quizzes (Clinical and Ethics), a paper (Clinical), 3 discussion board posts (Ethics)--granted that the professor doesn't change it. USF does provide housing, from what I have heard, the dorms are currently full---but things change throughout the semester. The only fully furnished dorms that I know of are Campus Lodge--I lived there years ago (ask to live in the back, away from the pool as it is party central) and I believe the Providence, Campus Club, and Reflections are also furnished. The apartments around campus mainly house students--with that also comes the parties--my advice ask to stay away from the pool--the frats and sororities love to host pool parties and the properties also hold events to lure in students. If you're going to be in Temple Terrace, you can check out Casa del Toro-- if you can find a couple of people to rent with they are cheap--you can also look in to picking up a sublease apartment at maybe Monticello which is right across from campus

 

[medicalstudent90]

Is anyone else waiting for an acceptance email? Has anyone received a rejection letter? Please let me know >_<"

 

[Akewataru]

Each class is different, for those of us who are in the online classes--we are required to pass quizzes (that do not count for a grade) before we can access the test. These help you know what you know and don't know. As for discussions, my first semester I do not remember having any besides answering case studies for biochem. I believe that we had two papers for anatomy and histology, they were spread out through the semester--either a week or a couple days apart from each other so I wasn't too stressed--but I believe papers were inconveniently close to the times where I felt like I could be studying for midterms and finals. There were other assignments also, for example we had to rebuild pieces of the body using the software for gross anatomy and make a powerpoint--don't freak out--it's easy and it helps you to remember the function of the structures. Semester 2: Genetics was all about discussions--probably my favorite class of the semester. We also had two papers. Microbiology: Two papers as well--I do not remember any discussions, also another interesting class for me.

I would not suggest taking all three courses. Those aren't a requirement from my understanding? Please correct me if I am wrong. Ethics, you will do fine. Read the chapter, take the associated quiz, and do your three discussion board posts. The problem with summer is everything was crammed. At the beginning of ethics we had to complete two CITI modules that required a bunch of reading and taking the associated quizzes in the modules. We had a week to do it I believe. We also had a paper to complete as well within that week. Clinical Correlations will take up a good portion of your time, but if you do not work it is manageable. You could read the chapter and do a question a day to knock out the paper and that will also provide you with the knowledge to prepare for the quiz for that class. Summer goes like this: Two quizzes (Clinical and Ethics), a paper (Clinical), 3 discussion board posts (Ethics)--granted that the professor doesn't change it. USF does provide housing, from what I have heard, the dorms are currently full---but things change throughout the semester. The only fully furnished dorms that I know of are Campus Lodge--I lived there years ago (ask to live in the back, away from the pool as it is party central) and I believe the Providence, Campus Club, and Reflections are also furnished. The apartments around campus mainly house students--with that also comes the parties--my advice ask to stay away from the pool--the frats and sororities love to host pool parties and the properties also hold events to lure in students. If you're going to be in Temple Terrace, you can check out Casa del Toro-- if you can find a couple of people to rent with they are cheap--you can also look in to picking up a sublease apartment at maybe Monticello which is right across from campus

Thank you for the housing suggestions. I lived in Wildwood Acres when I lived in Temple Terrace. I probably wouldn't go back for such a short stint. That's a place you can settle and call home.

Gross Anatomy, the MCAT prep course, and the Research class are all electives but I feel I need them.
Gross Anatomy because I believe I will be at a disadvantage if I do not take it. When I took undergraduate Anatomy at a chiropractic school we had full access an cadaver lab with a least 25 cadavers at various stages of dissection. It made the cat dissection in the Anatomy and Physiology I took at a community college pitiful at best. So at this point, if I am going to be taking Anatomy again but at the master's level the cadaver lab is not an elective but a MUST.
Medical Science Success Skills, this almost needs no explanation, but if I'm aiming for MD, with my mediocre GPA and disastrous first MCAT score, my second MCAT attempt has to dazzle the ADCOMs. We're talking 520's and up here. To make that happen, with my horrible study habits I'm going to need help.
Directed Research, at first I wasn't even looking at this course. BUT, I've been reading the "What Are My Chances?" threads and I was floored at the amount of applicants that have done research. Even just a little bit is deemed better than none.

 

[Dr. Janitor]

Hey guys, congrats to all of you who have gotten in. I just graduated from the program this past Saturday and thus I have a bunch of books taking up room on my shelves. If you are like me, and like to read the book for class, I have most of the books (or at least the ones I found to be necessary as some of the classes come straight off the powerpoint) for sale much cheaper than you'll find at the bookstore or amazon, most of the books have no highlighting or very little at all. PM me if you are interested.

I have books for the following classes (these were the required ones from the syllabus):
- Genetics
- Biochem
- Microbiology
- Histology
- Pharmacology
- Pathology
- Embryology

I also have the following MCAT prep books:
- TPR Hyper-learning Series w/ Practice Question Books (I have 2 sets of these as the MCAT success skills class made me buy them even though I already had the complete series)
- Exam Crackers 1001 books, Lecture Books, Audio-osmosis CD's, & Flash Cards (for all the sections)
- Kaplan Series + Flash Cards

**I will say that these MCAT books are for the previous version of the MCAT, not MCAT2015. However, I'm not looking to get full retail for these....maybe like $20-$30/book (depending on the book) if sold separately, ~$75 for the whole set. Open for negotiation. The biggest value is in the question booklets to help with the science sections of the MCAT.**

 

[FP2013]

FYI, we have a Facebook group for MSMS 2015-2016 https://www.facebook.com/groups/308586485978490/
We also have some students from the recent graduating class in the group willing to give advice to those of us starting the program for Fall 2015!