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UIC just assigned me to ...
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I dont know much about the UI system of med schools, but I thought that Urbana/Champaign was reserved for MSTP. So, what is the basis for the decisions of assignments and where else can you be assigned besides Urbana and Chicago?
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There are 4 different locations chicago and what I'll call the URP track. URP stands for Urbana, Rockford, and Peoria. for those who go to Rockford and Peoria, they will go to Urbana for the first year and complete the program at the other location. I believe some even go to all three, but I'm not sure about that. Each year 50 are selected to Rockford and 50 to Peoria, while 25 will stay in Urbana all four years for a total of 125. Meanwhile, 175 students will go to Chicago for all 4 years. Many people seem to be convinced that Chicago is the best campus, but I've heard many good things about the other three programs too. I guess, if you are bent on going to a city, then Chicago would be the ideal, but I've heard that students there are generally less happy (more stressed out) than the ones from the other schools. Plus, I've heard that Chicago class is full, so anyone who is admitted from here on out will have to chose from one of the other locations. As far as MD PhD program goes, yes they generally stay in U-C, but if not all 25 seats go to that program then they probably have others stay there for four years. Other programs such ats the RMED program have its students go to U-C for one year and Rockford for 3 years. These students only account for 15-20 of the 50 that are assigned to Rockford each year.YzIa said:
What I am confused about is why the OP got assigned to Urbana for 4 years if it wasn't their first or second choice as I would expect there to still be open spots at either of the other two programs at this point. Anyway, Hope this helps.
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I lived in chambana for a couple of years. It's a pretty cool place.
I would at least check it out first.
I would at least check it out first.
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why is there no love for urbana? this place isn't THAT bad. i admit that there aren't tons of exciting things to do like in chicago, but lets be realistic, you're going to be at the library a lot, and we have a few really nice ones. and if you want to go out and get drunk, there are many other people who will do that with you. yeah there are no museums or broadway shows, but there are great restaurants, a beautiful campus, its fairly cheap to live here, you can have your car, and most importantly we have the #1 basketball team. who could want more???
Champaign-Urbana is not a fun place to live. The "good" restaurants here would be considered mediocre at best in Chicago. I pay over $900.00/year to park in my building in addition to feeding the parking meters (which cost about 3X as much as the meters in Chicago). The whole city smells like manure thanks to the south farms and the bars are some of the worst amongst Big Ten schools, but that's only my opinion.
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haha. yea i really feel like you can't compare chicago with urbana. just my take tho....
sooo...when did everyone who got in this cycle have their acceptance card/deposit entered on the online status check? thanks!
i am intent into going into academic medicine and participating in a ton of research while in med school. i mentioned this in a letter included with my acceptance card/deposit. i would not want to go to uic if i didnt get the chicago campus because of my professional aspirations. anyone think they might take this into consideration when assigning a campus?
sooo...when did everyone who got in this cycle have their acceptance card/deposit entered on the online status check? thanks!
i am intent into going into academic medicine and participating in a ton of research while in med school. i mentioned this in a letter included with my acceptance card/deposit. i would not want to go to uic if i didnt get the chicago campus because of my professional aspirations. anyone think they might take this into consideration when assigning a campus?
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I asked the admissions people on interview day and they made it seem like you could send a letter. Sounds like we're in a similar position: I will be sending a letter as soon as I get my campus assignment (assuming it will be Urbana).
chitown82 said:
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Dragonfly411 said:
send a letter in ASAP.
from what i've read, its nearly impossible to switch campuses once you've been assigned.
if you were accepted in january, however, its probably too late because the lady on the phone told me today that they made all decisions on preferences they received this week and they have sent half out a few days ago and half were sent today. good luck though. if you have a compelling reason, i hope they'd at least listen to you.
PBR727 said:
I went to Champaign-Urbana for over two years. I still love the town. You are true about the restaurants, but as a student I never had $$ to waste on expensive restaurants. so that never bothered me! Green St. has many good places to eat.
I would recommend everyone to go there, and visit the place before coming to any conclusions.
Go Illini!
This is from a PM lSent- to someone awhile ago about campuschanges...me3 said:
As for Chicago, it was by far my first choice. I am from Chicago, I went to UIC, I worked at UIC doing research that I wanted to continue while in medical school, my family and friends live in the area, and my fiancee had her own private business there (Violin and Piano lessons that she gave up to move with me). I had petitioned to change campuses, to no avail. Administration for the most part was very nonforthcoming with information about anything to do with the list of people petitioning campus change requests (there was one person there who was helpful, but only because i knew him through other campus activities).
I interviewed in January, and turned in my acceptance and deposit the DAY I was accepted (I worked 2 blocks away), and I was told I still had a fair chance at getting the chicago campus, yet I did not. They say it is 1st come 1st serve, and petitions for campus change are reviewed on a case by case basis, but I have reason to believe otherwise. First, my reason for petitioning for a campus change was pretty solid. Coupled with a letter from my boss saying she needed me/ it would be beneficial for me to stay and continue my research in cell/molecular/developmental biology, I thought I had a good chance to change if spots opened up. Also, I had heard that people who were accepted after me got the Chicago campus, as well as a few other people off the campus change petition list.
Anyway, after that debacle, and after the May 15th deadline, I finally decided that I had to get a place in CU, and I came here begrudgingly. After a few weeks I was glad. Hearing about people who go to the Chicago campus, many are miserable. From classes, to dealing with the administration (which I can attest to is horrible, rude, unaccomodating, incompetant...). The students in Urbana seem to love it. (I'm warming up to it) It doesn't offer the same ammenities as the city, but it has it's plusses. Less traffic, nicer people, MUCH CHEAPER LIVING EXPENSES. Also the professors here (for the most part) are pretty top notch, and they seem to actually care about teaching the students. I don't know exactly how Chicago does it, but all lecture notes are available online, usually before class (get a tablet PC if you can afford one -additional loans available- and take your notes directly on them, if not, printing is free in the computer lab. There is supposedly a limit. 1000 pgs later I have not reached it).
Peoria students do extremely well on Step II, usually second in the state behind Northwestern, probably because the way the classes are set up and how much lecture time there is in Peoria. Finally when it comes to experience, you can't match the variety of patients you will see in Chicago, but in Peoria and rockford, you actually do more. It is (for the most part, from what I hear) 1 med student per Resident/ attending, unlike Chicago many students/ many residents/ attending.
I'm sorry if my rambling is incoherent, but I am tired, hungry, and have a headache from 12 hours of studying today.
The long and short of it is that if you don't get Chicago, don't expect a campus change, and it isn't as bad as i thought it would be. It is probably better in the long run.
Good luck, and feel free to contact me with more questions.
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Dragonfly411 said:
I can understand how you feel but you should reconsider. Why would you want to re-apply next yr after getting in this yr? You can still rotate in Chicago in your 4th yr. There would be underserved population in peoria as well. You can work with the underserved during residency and as an attending. Think about it!! Good luck
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Dragonfly411,
Just PMed you
Just PMed you
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If you are interested in working with the underserved populations, I would say that Rockford is the best campus for you. Rockford is geared toward teaching its students how to cope with underserved populations. Also, though I've not been there much, I hear that Rockford does have a significant Latino population. While it does tend to stress primary care, students who go there are by no means limited to primary care. Just thought I'd throw that information out. Basically, though, I'd say your med school education is going to be what you make it wherever you end up going. If you end up going to Peoria, just make the best of it. Unfortunately, having a bad attitude about your situation will end up being reflected in your work.
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NEATOMD said:
Rockford's Latino population is about 10% - a decent amount if you'd like to be exposed to a Spanish speaking population. I have a good family friend who is on staff at the Rockford hospital UIC is associated with. He said the majority of doctors who teach med students are part-time faculty. He noted while they are excellent doctors, their overall teaching (clinical years) is not as good as at the Chicago campus. Again, this is just his observation. No need to flame me. If you are a Rockford student - I'd like to know more about your experiences thus far.
Skiz Knot, I read your posts last year about trying to get into the Chicago campus. I thought or at least hoped you got in at the end. Must've been dreaming.
Anyways, I'm glad you like where you are now. 🙂
Anyways, I'm glad you like where you are now. 🙂
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chitown82 said:
No flamethrowing intended here. Thanks for your input, honestly. I in no way was trying to push Rockford onto anyone. I am not trying to bash Chicago in any way, either. I only wanted to point out that there are other campuses aside from Chicago's that may work out well for people if they are willing to keep their minds open and truly consider them for their possiblities.
ThanksbloHaZaRd said:
question guys who sent your site preference card in....
have you sent your hepatitis B and transcript in?
on the status page it says i haven't fulfilled my pre-requirement
requirements but i'm assuming they are talking about transcript
from this semester.
I WILL GET ASSIGNED MY SITE BEFORE I SEND THE HEP B FORM
IN, RIGHT?
have you sent your hepatitis B and transcript in?
on the status page it says i haven't fulfilled my pre-requirement
requirements but i'm assuming they are talking about transcript
from this semester.
I WILL GET ASSIGNED MY SITE BEFORE I SEND THE HEP B FORM
IN, RIGHT?
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chitown82 said:
When I interviewed @ UIC, I told them point blank that assignment anywhere other than Chicago would most likely result in me NOT attending their school. I am from Chicago (proper, not the frelling burbs), I did my undergrad @ the U of C, and had no intentions of ever leaving.
Notice the past tense.
After I was assigned to Rockford, I did a little research and found out many things that made this a more desirable campus for me... looking back on my last 3 years here, they've played out like I thought. Here are the biggies...
1) there are virtually no residents. the only residency game in town is an FP residency at a hospital that very little M3 experience occurs. What's the significance? Well, this turns your m3 core clerkships into de facto sub-i's.
in other words, 3 days into my 3rd year, I was running a hospital medicine service for a physician who was in his clinic, seeing patients. by myself. similarly when i was on surgery, i was first assist on several cases - first freaking assist! i didn't have to bypass the fellow, the senior resident, the junior resident, the intern, the off-service rotator, and the m4 rotator... i could actually see everything, and scrubbed on almost every case my attending did. peds, ob, and psych were the same thing... boatloads of experience.
yeah, so you maybe need to read a little more; but the clinical didactics are fantastic... and most of us do very well on the shelf exams and step 2 (so our teaching can't be THAT bad, can it?)
2) you start seeing patients in the fall of your 2nd year... this is a whole extra year of getting comfortable talking about histories, doing physicals, and developing diagnostic frameworks. plus, it will help with the USMLE Step 2 CS (Colonic Satyr-ism) immensely.
some other benefits are that rockford is the "most affordable city in america" (chicago tribune, 2003 or 2004), and is 1 hour from 3 great cities - chicago, madison, milwaukee. your car doesn't have to pass emissions anymore (so if you have a beater, don't need to replace it)... and it never takes any more than 15 minutes to get anywhere you need to be. try that in chicago at 8am on the kennedy near the junction.
ultimately, then, if you aren't self-directed and need things spoon fed for you, then rockford probably won't do you well. but, if you like actually SEEING and TREATING patients (the reason, i hope, you're going into medical school), and want the responsibility and experience... then rockford'll do you right. plus, if you're worried about rockford being 100% "primary care" - take a look at last year's match list: 9 radiologists, 4 emergency physicians, 4 surgeons, 1 neurosurgeon, 1 ophtho, 1 derm... and most of the IM/Peds group plan to do fellowships.
just my $.02 - and don't knock it till you've tried it.
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Daiphon said:
thanks for the information. i wasn't trying to "knock" rockford as i'm sure if you re-read my post, you'll agree...i was simply stating the opinion of *one* doctor.
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chitown82 said:
chi -
i know you weren't knocking rockford... i guess i just funneled all the stuff i've heard people say about this campus into this past post... it's actually out of my character to rant & rave...
good luck with the application/acceptance stuff... it does get easier.
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Honestly, you're not looking deep enough. There is diversity anywhere you go, and the fact that you feel you need to "see" diversity on someone's sleave indicates you're probably missing a lot of it.
Even in the little town where I grew up, there is a distinct difference between those who work in agirculture and those who work in construction or in an office. Speaking as someone who grew up on a farm, I can tell you that your average Chicagoan has no idea what I'm talking about half the time when I talk about those responsibilities. There is a distinct difference between Catholics and members of certain Protestant demoninations, as well.
What's more, (and let's be positive) in smaller town, you get to adapt to a society that has its own culture and ways of doing things. There are nuances to this, which you get a feel for, of course. This is unlike a city like Chicago, which is in a sense, a sprawl of nothingness with far less individual character than most small towns. There's not really that much of a unique flavor to Chicago. Go to New York, and you get the same thing with a few differences.
Just my take. If you take the time to take on the character of a small town and make it part of your own, you can really grow a lot. A buddy of mine went to UVA, learned to play the banjo, and now performs with bluegrass bands all through the countryside up there. He swore up and down that Charlottesville was going to be awful after living in Atlanta. Ha!
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LoveDoc said:
Congrats! Did you send in a letter with your site preference card? Was wondering how you got Chicago.
I was assigned to Chicago last week without ever sending an additional letter. I think that the whole UIC system is a little screwed up and I'm not going to try to understand it.
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Maybe it's just luck - i doubt it has anything to do with money or secret criteria. People are starting to withdraw from UIC - so if you happen to get your site preference card looked at when someone recently withdrew from the Chicago campus, they'll just fill you in. <shrug> To me, that makes the most sense.
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