2008-2009 University of Rochester Secondary Application Thread

I got their email but then got a second one that said not to try and access it before July 1st. Did you cheat? Or do you know this info from last cycle's threads?

The Rochester secondary is just one of those that you can complete in about 1 minute and then you send in a check. If you receive an interview, your application portal will have a link on it to have you fill out 3 additional things before your interview. Here's what they asked for last year:

1. List of 5 ECs
2. What interests do you hope to continue or develop as you pursue your medical education at Rochester?
3. Currently, knowing you may change your mind, what medical career pathway (academic, private practice, specialty area) are you considering, and what factors have contributed to your choice?

I'd be glad to answer questions if anyone has any!

for LOR requirement, what if i have 1 committee letter? do i put down my premed advisor or do i put down the 4 individual names of the letters that contributed to the 1 committee letter?

is rochester emphasis on producing academic physicians or primary care?

korndoctor said:

for LOR requirement, what if i have 1 committee letter? do i put down my premed advisor or do i put down the 4 individual names of the letters that contributed to the 1 committee letter?

is rochester emphasis on producing academic physicians or primary care?

Click to expand...

I would call them and ask. I had a committee cover letter plus individual letters, so I really don't know what to tell you. It would be much easier for you to just call.

Somewhat both. Rochester's Double Helix Curriculum allows you to begin your Family Med rotation in the 2nd semester of first year. So, it's very patient based. But, there is also a Medical Education Pathway offered in which you can train to become an academic physician. Lots of options!

Whoa. I just got marked complete! :O

Anyone else marked as complete yet?

I submitted my app on 7/2, but then i got an e-mail from them inviting me to complete the secondary...ummmm....ok Maybe i shouldn't have submitted before getting the e-mail?

Anyway, i checked my status and it doesn't say much. The page looks the same as it did before i applied. comments?

Isis24 said:

Anyone else marked as complete yet?

I submitted my app on 7/2, but then i got an e-mail from them inviting me to complete the secondary...ummmm....ok Maybe i shouldn't have submitted before getting the e-mail?

Anyway, i checked my status and it doesn't say much. The page looks the same as it did before i applied. comments?

Click to expand...

Did you get a complete email? If not, I'd call up and ask. I received the complete email on 7/3 and it was marked on the status page as complete the same day.

That's very strange. I called, and the admissions lady said that I paid, but didn't "sign" the application online. So how was I able to pay? Anyway, problem solved. But that means that technically I submitted today, and not 6 days ago like i thought.

Isis24 said:

That's very strange. I called, and the admissions lady said that I paid, but didn't "sign" the application online. So how was I able to pay? Anyway, problem solved. But that means that technically I submitted today, and not 6 days ago like i thought.

Click to expand...

No worries. 6 days will not make or break you. You are waaaaay ahead of the game, anyway. Rochester reviews people somewhat randomly... my friend that was complete at least a month and a half later than me received a rejection letter the day before I got my interview invite.

I think it even says something on their phone message that apps are reviewed randomly. Which is awesome... cause what more could you guys want than more randomness?

korndoctor said:

for LOR requirement, what if i have 1 committee letter? do i put down my premed advisor or do i put down the 4 individual names of the letters that contributed to the 1 committee letter?

is rochester emphasis on producing academic physicians or primary care?

Click to expand...

I had a committee letter as well and just listed my pre-med advisors name. I believe you are asked if a committee letter is to be expected and if not then you would have to list the names of individual recommenders.

To your other question, I think Rochester has an excellent focus on producing both academic and primary care physicians. I remember hearing a lot about the research focus during my interview mayb someone else can talk more about this aspect. But for primary care, Rochester is devoted to training physicians who can think with the biopsychosocial model in mind. Clinical exposure starts right away with the Ambulatory Care Clerkship starting second semester and going on until the end of second year.

To elaborate on DocI's answer about research, I also remember a lot of talk about it during my interview. They don't make you do it, but they want you to know that there are plenty of opportunities to do it. I remember they even showed us a lab that had some fancy new equipment.

One of my interviewers was asking me if I was interested in still doing research while at Rochester (since I had a good chunk of it in undergrad) and said that you can basically email any researcher and ask to work w/ them and have a good chance in doing so.

ok, i feel really ridiculous for not being able to figure this out, but i don't understand how to fill out rochester's supplemental questions. i got the email inviting me to fill it out and i went to the website and put in my login info and logged in, but it just takes me to a page that says "Application status: No status" and then has "Important Dates" Then at the bottom it says I must have Javascript enabled, but I do have it enabled! i tried it on both firefox and explorer and it is enabled both times so I don't understand what the problem is! but theres no link thats like "fill out supplemental applicatoin" am i missing something obvious?

lisasimpson87 said:

ok, i feel really ridiculous for not being able to figure this out, but i don't understand how to fill out rochester's supplemental questions. i got the email inviting me to fill it out and i went to the website and put in my login info and logged in, but it just takes me to a page that says "Application status: No status" and then has "Important Dates" Then at the bottom it says I must have Javascript enabled, but I do have it enabled! i tried it on both firefox and explorer and it is enabled both times so I don't understand what the problem is! but theres no link thats like "fill out supplemental applicatoin" am i missing something obvious?

Click to expand...

I seem to remember a button around that application status line that says "fill out supplemental application." The setup you've described, if it doesn't have that button, looks like the page I see after I've already submitted the secondary.

Just like Kay said, there should be a line that says something like fill out supplemental. It should be located under a line that is under the Important Dates section that says "*MSTP Medical Scientist..."

And don't worry about the JavaScript Alert... we still use that same login page for our orientation materials and I still have that same alert.

If you can't find that line though, call!

oh crap. did rochester have a list where you wrote down the names of your letters writers? I forgot which 4 of my 5 I put heh

Can someone who hasnt' filled this out yet paste the LOR section to jog my memory?

I received an interview invite (my first) today from U of R. Any general tips as to how I should go about preparing myself?

Nishtar said:

I received an interview invite (my first) today from U of R. Any general tips as to how I should go about preparing myself?

Click to expand...

Yay!

Tips... check out the interview feedback section on here. Also, know a bit about the double helix curriculum and the biopsychosocial model (see the UR website).

On your essays/activities you turn in before your interview, make sure you list stuff you are comfortable talking about, cause its all your interviewers will see. It's super laid back though... and you'll love it!

If you have any, and I mean any, other questions, just send a PM my way or post on here and I'd love to help!

i just received an interview invite too!!...very excited

If you have an interview, please post it here:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=544567&highlight=interview&page=3

I know rochester has a 5 yr academic/research program. i sent out my app already but dont remember if they asked on the secondary if you wanted to consider that program as well? anyone remember or know how to pursue that program?

Hi Guys

I have completed Rochester sec on 7/18 and havent heard anything, how long is too long most people already received invites, should I just consider it as rejection to be?


thanks, very disappointed

Hi guys, sorry I didn't respond sooner... Had orientation all this week so it's been hectic!

AbujaMan said:

I know rochester has a 5 yr academic/research program. i sent out my app already but dont remember if they asked on the secondary if you wanted to consider that program as well? anyone remember or know how to pursue that program?

Click to expand...

We do have that program... it's called ART. I don't believe you had to mark anything on your app about it. They explain a lot more about it at the interviews and give you information on it so you can learn more about it then and see how to pursue it.

MDBBLk said:

Hi Guys

I have completed Rochester sec on 7/18 and havent heard anything, how long is too long most people already received invites, should I just consider it as rejection to be?


thanks, very disappointed

Click to expand...

No worries. Rochester reviews apps somewhat randomly (if you call and hear the message on the machine it even says that). I was complete at U of R in Sept. and heard back from them at the end of November while a good friend of mine was complete in October and heard back of their rejection before I was invited. So that shows you it's somewhat random and not to lose hope!

Good luck guys! Keep the questions coming if you have them!

Just got an interview invite!! Super pumped, Rochester is really high up on my list. I submitted 7/22 but my letters didn't come in until 8/13.

Poiu86 said:

Just got an interview invite!! Super pumped, Rochester is really high up on my list. I submitted 7/22 but my letters didn't come in until 8/13.

Click to expand...

Congrats! When will you be here? I want to try to walk through the lobby you guys start out at in the morning to try to run into as many of you as I can and wish you luck!

Poiu86 said:

Just got an interview invite!! Super pumped, Rochester is really high up on my list. I submitted 7/22 but my letters didn't come in until 8/13.

Click to expand...

I received an interview invite yesterday too!! I am really excited, it is definitely towards the top of my list and if I am accepted, im dropping so many schools! Oh, and Congrats Poiu86! I saw that you're from Iowa, have you looked into the cheaptest way to get there? Cheapist flight I found was for <$300 from quad cities to rochester at statravel.

Congrats Cheasus! Haha, I have a feeling we're going to be seeing each other somewhere along the way. I'm interviewing 9/29 (a Monday), flying out of the quad cities on Sunday. The flight I found was on expedia for $ 235 (285 after tax). If you want to know anything else, shoot me a pm!


The way it works out, my returning flight leaves Rochester at 6:15 a.m. Tuesday, so it looks like I'll be spending two nights. Lacrossefiend, anything interesting to see or do that Monday night? Suggestions?

Poiu86 said:

Congrats Cheasus! Haha, I have a feeling we're going to be seeing each other somewhere along the way. I'm interviewing 9/29 (a Monday), flying out of the quad cities on Sunday. The flight I found was on expedia for $ 235 (285 after tax). If you want to know anything else, shoot me a pm!


The way it works out, my returning flight leaves Rochester at 6:15 a.m. Tuesday, so it looks like I'll be spending two nights. Lacrossefiend, anything interesting to see or do that Monday night? Suggestions?

Click to expand...

I will see you there on 9/29!

If you guys are looking for a way to keep things cheap, check out our student hosting program. I know a bunch of people in the other classes do it and a ton from my class just signed up to do it.

As for things to do... check out rocwiki.org

cheasus said:

I will see you there on 9/29!

Click to expand...

I'm also going for an interview on the 29th. This is my first interview and I would love to go here. Can't wait to meet everyone!

Oh - I am driving out of New Haven, CT on Sunday morning. If anyone wants, we can get together for a pre-interview dinner or something

lacrossefiend73 said:

If you guys are looking for a way to keep things cheap, check out our student hosting program. I know a bunch of people in the other classes do it and a ton from my class just signed up to do it.

As for things to do... check out rocwiki.org

Click to expand...

I called someone and found a medical student to stay with. Will definitely check out the website though.

Leejwwc, we should all definitely meet up for dinner one evening. Lacrossefiend73, you're welcome to come too, would love some perspective on the school.

cheasus said:

I called someone and found a medical student to stay with. Will definitely check out the website though.

Leejwwc, we should all definitely meet up for dinner one evening. Lacrossefiend73, you're welcome to come too, would love some perspective on the school.

Click to expand...

Would love to give perspective! I can tell you... I've only been through orientation and 1 week of class, but I'm in love. This place is absolutely wonderful! I'd love to come to dinner w/ you guys... as long as I'm not stuck in the library that night. We start HSF (Human Structure and Function) in mid September which is our anatomy/physiology/histology/embryology course and the 2nd years keep telling us to prepare ourselves for a great but extremely taxing course.

Speaking of HSF... random wonderful fact about Rochester... one of our deans, Dean Hansen (who some of you will be lucky enough to interview with) is one of our HSF professors... check out a Netter's Atlas of Human Anatomy or Netter's flashcards and you'll see him as an author (he actually was the one to make the flashcards)! Learning anatomy from the horse's mouth... what could be better?

lacrossefiend73 said:

Would love to give perspective! I can tell you... I've only been through orientation and 1 week of class, but I'm in love. This place is absolutely wonderful! I'd love to come to dinner w/ you guys... as long as I'm not stuck in the library that night. We start HSF (Human Structure and Function) in mid September which is our anatomy/physiology/histology/embryology course and the 2nd years keep telling us to prepare ourselves for a great but extremely taxing course.

Speaking of HSF... random wonderful fact about Rochester... one of our deans, Dean Hansen (who some of you will be lucky enough to interview with) is one of our HSF professors... check out a Netter's Atlas of Human Anatomy or Netter's flashcards and you'll see him as an author (he actually was the one to make the flashcards)! Learning anatomy from the horse's mouth... what could be better?

Click to expand...

Lacrossefiend73 - that sounds great! Maybe you can suggest a good place for us to meet up.

question for lacrossfiend or anyone who knows- im taking the amtrak up for my interview and was wondering if you knew whether there was any way except taxi to get to the campus (train, bus, trolley- i really dont like taxis). thanks!

i did undergrad at ur and its my top med school choice. its a 10 dollar cab ride to the med school from the airport. the public transportation in rochester is not great.

lisasimpson87 said:

question for lacrossfiend or anyone who knows- im taking the amtrak up for my interview and was wondering if you knew whether there was any way except taxi to get to the campus (train, bus, trolley- i really dont like taxis). thanks!

Click to expand...

I've really only seen buses up here and taxis. You would have to grab a transit map though to see where those buses come from cause I have no idea. I live right behind the school/hospital, so I haven't looked into that too much. Another good option is to use our student hosting program... You stay the night w/ a student and most live so close that you can walk to your interview (my walk to school in the morning is less than 10 minutes) or if they live a bit further out they can drive you! If you are staying at a hotel, sometimes they have shuttles, but you would have to ask them.

uofr alum here. the amtrak and greyhound stations are both in downtown. while you'll be able to reach river campus and the med center by taking the local rts (bus), it's a pain and depending on the time of day, quite sketchy sometimes. there's a shuttle/bus that connects the campus to downtown (limited run at nights) and you'll be able to board it free if you show a valid UR student ID. the final destination is the eastman school of music and makes a few stops in between. your best bet to avoid much hassle is to really take a cab. however, if you're really insistent on taking the bus, check rgrta.org for timetable and routes.

Good luck to those of you interviewing today and tomorrow! I'll try to stop by the office and say hello!

Hey, I am interviewing on 10/2! Anyone else going to be there this day??

Hey guys...I was able to log in the day after I designated Rochester on my AMCAS (and submitted), without getting the secondary invite email from them. I submitted and paid the fee. Think that will go through okay? *worried*

franniemeow07 said:

Hey guys...I was able to log in the day after I designated Rochester on my AMCAS (and submitted), without getting the secondary invite email from them. I submitted and paid the fee. Think that will go through okay? *worried*

Click to expand...

Best thing to do is call and ask. Our admissions office is super friendly, so just call rather than worrying

lacrossefiend73 said:

Best thing to do is call and ask. Our admissions office is super friendly, so just call rather than worrying

Click to expand...

Yay! I love admissions offices that aren't huge machines of hate towards premeds

If you've had your interview already, how did it go? What were your impressions of the University, anything different, unique or cool about the school?

How long is it taking people to hear back from UofR? I have been complete since 8/15 and have heard nothing.

cheasus said:

If you've had your interview already, how did it go? What were your impressions of the University, anything different, unique or cool about the school?

Click to expand...

You will all love it! I promise!

mbe36 said:

How long is it taking people to hear back from UofR? I have been complete since 8/15 and have heard nothing.

Click to expand...

It's somewhat random; I was complete in mid September and didn't hear till the very end of November... so don't jump on the worry train just yet!

mbe36 said:

How long is it taking people to hear back from UofR? I have been complete since 8/15 and have heard nothing.

Click to expand...

They invited my for an interview within two weeks of my application being complete (around the same time you were complete). I wouldn't worry though, every school seems to take their time.

lacrossefiend73 said:

You will all love it! I promise!

Click to expand...

I agree, the school seems very attractive to me from what I've seen and heard so far. What do YOU love about it specifically? If you interviewed at many other schools, what did you like more about rochester than other schools? It is really nice to hear someone talk so enthusiastically about a school.