2007 NC Med Schools Application Thread

[stereochemistry]

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I was wondering how all of you feel about ECU??? I got into Brody about 5 weeks ago and I wanted to ask you what you thought of the school.

I don't mean to sound pretentious and finicky, but I am not too excited about attending ECU. I am grateful that the ADCOMM thought highly enough of me to accept me, but I do not know if I will fit well in this environment.

First, I am a resident of Chapel Hill but originally from Baltimore. So, I think it is going to be tough living in a rural environment after living most of my life in a big metro area. Also, I have tons of lab experience at research schools (Hopkins, UNC, Harvard, MGH) and in industry (BD, CIIT) with a couple of publications. I would like to continue down this path and eventually become a physician scientist.

I guess I am afraid that since Brody puts such an emphasis on primary care, I will not have the same kind of opportunities to explore my interests in translational research.

I would definitely like you all to weigh in on this issue.

Have you been accepted anywhere else?

 

[DrKD2007]

I applied to both schools... I am heading towards primary care-- I want to be a clinical physician and maybe later on going into research in some field (possibly).I too have done research programs (WFU and Yale).

I think both of schools are great for me. I would choose UNC for its environment and public health school....maybe get a dual degree (MPH/MD). I also did the MED program and enjoyed the curriculum. ECU is number 6 in primary care; tied with DukeUniversity, which says a lot about that school. I've only heard great things about their program-- support towards their students and emphasis on serving underserved area.

This is how I will make my decision...if I get into only one of these schools, it's meant to be and it'll work out for the best. If I get into both, I will look at factors (location, resources, curriculum, emphasis, when I want to get the MPH, my experience at the school during the interview).

If you really want to be a research scientist it can happen at both schools...the guy who interviewed me at ECU is very successful- he got both his PhD and MD at ECU. From what I hear from a friend, they are starting PhD program very soon there. You just have to weigh your factors and decide, both are cheap and great schools.

Sorry this reply is so long and I dont know if it helps or answers you request-- I'm waiting to get in to schools so I am always looking at SDN threads and not working.

 

[PHDMD2B]

Number one, if you're not accepted anywhere else, then you have no choice. Second I came from Greenville, and yes if you love Chapel Hill, you're going to absolutely HATE Greenville. How do I know? Because I loved Greenville and I HATE Chapel Hill where I'm currently working. I know there are a ton of people who love it here, but it's just not my scene. Third if you are looking at becoming a physician scientist, ECU is not going to be the place for you. I have a PhD from ECU and think I got one of the best educations in the state, but if you're looking to be on the cutting edge of research, it won't be at ECU. I love the school but that's the honest truth. Do I know more about whole animals physiology, than my UNC counterparts.......without coming across like an ass, yeah I think I do. Do I know more about microarrays, making transgenic animals, and advanced techniques.....no I don't. I will admit I've learned a lot while here at UNC, but I'm ready to get back to my roots. Judging by the amount of interest in UNC, I would guess that probably 60% of the people that applied to ECU did so thinking it was a backup school if they didn't get in to UNC. I'm not saying that's a bad way to be, but for the other 40% that ECU is their first choice, we'd do just about anything to be in your position.

I guess what I'm trying to say is if you have an acceptance somewhere else you have to go where you're going to be happiest. I actually withdrew my UNC application after being here for about 4 months. I couldn't go to school somewhere I couldn't stand no matter how "great" the education is.

G

ps I'm not trying to bash UNC, it's just my personal opinion it's not the best fit for me and I think that's important in choosing a medical school. I also hope you don't think I'm trying to dissuade you from going to ECU so I can have your spot😀

 

[celltech2000]

Thanks for the input DrKD2007! I agree with you. It is possible to still do the academic research thing at either school.

I am just worried that the resources available to me will be limited at ECU vs. UNC.

...Stereochemistry. No, I haven't gotten accepted anywhere else. I only interviewed at UNC, DUKE, and ECU. Duke was a no-go.

 

[scgroat]

Don't get me wrong, BSOM is a great school, but it is NOT for everyone. I was warned last year at my interview that certain specialties may be a bit harder to pursue from ECU than, say, from UNC. Then again, that's why most schools have study abroad programs available. As for research, it's admittedly not big into that game. They simply choose to focus on other things. I still believe, though, that your performance and desire will be well met at a place like ECU. Just hang in there and weigh all of your options in May (if you can wait that long). Best of luck.

 

[celltech2000]

Thanks for the replies! Does anyone know what the matchlist for ECU this year looks like?

 

[momtwo]

I was wondering how all of you feel about ECU??? I got into Brody about 5 weeks ago and I wanted to ask you what you thought of the school.

I don't mean to sound pretentious and finicky, but I am not too excited about attending ECU. I am grateful that the ADCOMM thought highly enough of me to accept me, but I do not know if I will fit well in this environment.

.

All of the NC schools are good! I've talked to a lot of people on SDN that are at ECU and love it. Hopefully someone will pick up on your thread and start getting you more excited about the ECU. My daughter loved it there when she interviewed. = ) I kinda wonder if the medical school gets a bad rap from the fact that for undergraduate study ECU is so much easier to get into than NC State or UNC. Or maybe simply because it's smaller and isn't as well known because it doesn't take out of state students. Some people just don't fit right at UNC....same with ECU..same with Wake Forest or Duke. (my daughter didn't apply to Duke because she'd not want to go there). I think if given a choice it's wonderful we've got so many great medical schools in NC - each of them right for some people - so you pick the one that fits you best. If not given a choice and only accepted at one - you won't be in a bad place! CONGRATS!

 

[celltech2000]

Happy MONDAY to you all!!!! 😀

I hope everyone had the opportunity to distract themselves from med school apps for the weekend! I tried my best to refrain from posting. It looks like most of you did the same.

Today is supposedly the last committee meeting at UNC. There may or may not be some calls going out today. Hopefully, we'll hear something soon.

Good luck to you all.

 

[rottiesrock]

HAPPY MONDAY!
Good luck to everyone still waiting to hear!

 

[DrKD2007]

Yes, we all were successful with no posts this weekend. Good luck to everyone... I hope we hear some GOOD news soon .

 

[celltech2000]

any heard from/call UNC today? I know Lisa said that they weren't going to call anyone from this last batch of acceptances/wl/rejections, but I hoping to hear something today. 🙁

Also, I thought I would give us a bump! 😀

 

[IDontKnow]

I tried calling UNC today, but after one ring it goes straight to their answering machine...I wonder what's going on......

 

[celltech2000]

NEWS:

UNC is only making WL decisions now. Hoole will be out for a couple of weeks, so no decisions will be made until he gets back.

Everyone should find out their status by May 1.

 

[rottiesrock]

NEWS:

UNC is only making WL decisions now. Hoole will be out for a couple of weeks, so no decisions will be made until he gets back.

Everyone should find out their status by May 1.

Did you call today?

 

[celltech2000]

Did you call today?

Nope. I had a friend check in for me.

But, I am ABSOLUTELY SURE that hoole is away and that things will be pretty much dead until he gets back.

 

[rottiesrock]

Here or away - I have come to the conclusion that I am not going to find anything out until the last possible date. And I am pretty positive I'll be joining the re-applicant club. 😱 ...which isn't such a bad thing - at least I'll have one round of apps under my belt. (positive thinking, positive thinking)

 

[topdogg82]

well if it's only WL/rejection now, i guess waiting another couple weeks isn't really that bad. if you are WL in a couple weeks, then you have less time until May 15th when you could find out if you get in, so it won't seem as long.

 

[sheepunite]

that's thoroughly depressing news.
ah well.
new york city, here i come.

 

[applegreen]

Nope. I had a friend check in for me.

But, I am ABSOLUTELY SURE that hoole is away and that things will be pretty much dead until he gets back.

Out of curiosity, what does it mean that your friend checked in for you?

 

[rottiesrock]

Everyone should find out their status by May 1.

Ha Ha. That's my b-day. Wouldn't that be nice: Happy Birthday-Rejected.

and topdogg82, I like your positive thinking-
I was thinking more along the lines of Muphy's Law: If I am fortunate enough to get waitlisted rather than staight out rejected, and then fortunate enough to get off the waitlist it would probably be on the very last day.

Anyway... I have to get away from this computer. Time to enjoy the nice weather!

 

[fluffe1234]

Just out of curiosity, if you had an acceptance to a school that you were less than thrilled to go to, would you reapply to UNC, or would you just go where you had been accepted?

 

[JBob330]

NEWS:

UNC is only making WL decisions now. Hoole will be out for a couple of weeks, so no decisions will be made until he gets back.

Everyone should find out their status by May 1.

I don't believe this. They said several times last week that there were still acceptances to give out.

 

[sheepunite]

Just out of curiosity, if you had an acceptance to a school that you were less than thrilled to go to, would you reapply to UNC, or would you just go where you had been accepted?

go where you get in. hopefully, you only applied to schools you would be happy to attend.

 

[stereochemistry]

I don't believe this. They said several times last week that there were still acceptances to give out.

Maybe they made them and they are in the mail right now. Think happy thoughts.

 

[JBob330]

Maybe they made them and they are in the mail right now. Think happy thoughts.

That makes sense.

 

[celltech2000]

I know it is hard to believe, but I guess we all have to come to the reality that it is either waitlist or reject.

It is a AAMC requirement that schools fill their class by March 15... meaning if there are 150 available seats, they must accept 150 by March 15. This goes for ALL med schools.

In the past, UNC is said to accept 20 students over their available seats for the incoming class.

They split the waitlist into 3 tiers with 15 applicants, each being ranked. I don't know what the 3 tiers represent.

Anyhow, like I have mentioned earlier, Hoole is away for two weeks. He is the Chair of the Admissions committee. Therefore, if he is away, then no decisions can be made. If you don't believe me, give the Admissions Office a call and find out if you can speak with him.

Either way, don't give up hope! This is my second time applying like many of you, and I have seen the impossible happen with others and myself...

 

[applegreen]

Strange, I just called and talked to Lisa. She said they're still meeting, and there are some acceptances left as well as the waitlist. Once again, how exactly did you have a friend check in for you?

 

[celltech2000]

Strange, I just called and talked to Lisa. She said they're still meeting, and there are some acceptances left as well as the waitlist. Once again, how exactly did you have a friend check in for you?

I guess. If you look at last year's thread, they were telling the applicants the same thing around this time.

Time will only tell.

 

[celltech2000]

Strange, I just called and talked to Lisa. She said they're still meeting, and there are some acceptances left as well as the waitlist. Once again, how exactly did you have a friend check in for you?

...works as admin asst. for committee member

 

[IDontKnow]

Strange, I just called and talked to Lisa. She said they're still meeting, and there are some acceptances left as well as the waitlist. Once again, how exactly did you have a friend check in for you?

I got the same response from her as well...

 

[IDontKnow]

...works as admin asst. for committee member

I hope your friend heard something wrong...oh yeah and Lisa said, "no decisions were mailed out yesterdasy"

 

[buddhapaug]

AMCAS Link:
http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/policies/admissionofficers.htm

Just to be accurate, it is a recommendation not requirement to have the class filled by March 30. However, it recommends only that they have extended acceptances for the number of seats available by that date. As we all know, all schools have to accept at least a few more applicants than they have seats for. That could come at any time.

I am pretty sure that the most recent us news book said that UNC accepts about 220 for its 160 spots (I'm rounding a little here). Of the 60 acceptances over the class size, 40 were in-state and 20 were oos (I might have the 40/20 backwards but 99% sure I don't).

At this point, I'm pretty much thinking that Celltech's info is on the money and that they are probably pretty much done. But I think the information above proves that you truly can never know until you get your letter in the mail.

 

[DrKD2007]

Hey...bottom-line is that we all have to wait for an answer. Nobody knows when we are going to hear except some people at UNC (maybe only Hoole), but again, I hope we get GOOD news.

Good luck to everyone and I'm hoping for some miracles.

 

[celltech2000]

Hey...bottom-line is that we all have to wait for an answer. Nobody knows when we are going to hear except some people at UNC (maybe only Hoole), but again, I hope we get GOOD news.

Good luck to everyone and I'm hoping for some miracles.

agreed.

 

[takeachanceonme]

Hey...bottom-line is that we all have to wait for an answer. Nobody knows when we are going to hear except some people at UNC (maybe only Hoole), but again, I hope we get GOOD news.

Good luck to everyone and I'm hoping for some miracles.

indeed. may the waitlist turn out to be our friend!! 🙂

 

[applegreen]

Just to add a little ECU love, I called and they told me a decision had been made and that I'd get something in the mail in the next few days. So if you haven't checked in a while, I'd give them a call. They can't tell you over the phone if you're in or not though.
I'm very afraid of my mailbox now.

 

[DrKD2007]

Hope good news from ECU too...some NC school, let me get in!!

 

[PHDMD2B]

Hey apple what day did you interview at ECU? I'm just curious since I interviewed in Feb, but was told my packet had been scheduled to be seen by the committee. Just wanted to see if you interviewed before me.

The letter could be good news since I remember last year they held on to my application until around June before officially putting me on the waitlist. Anyway good luck.

G

 

[applegreen]

I interviewed Feb 21. I feel like it's too short and they've already rejected me. Nothing like med school admissions to make you into a pessimist.

 

[EE2MD]

I called ECU the morning I received my acceptance letter and they told me that no decision had been made yet and that my application had gone to the committee 3 times. Later that day I checked the mail box and I had an acceptance.

 

[CrewBHB]

PHDMD2B,

I interviewed the same day as you. I just called today and they said a decision has been made for me.

However, I remember in our exit meeting that she said that if we were accepted and we called, usually they would tell you. And if you were rejected, they would say that its in the mail.

So I am anticipating a rejection, sigh. If you are still under review, I would imagine that is a good thing.

 

[IDontKnow]

PHDMD2B,

I interviewed the same day as you. I just called today and they said a decision has been made for me.

However, I remember in our exit meeting that she said that if we were accepted and we called, usually they would tell you. And if you were rejected, they would say that its in the mail.

So I am anticipating a rejection, sigh. If you are still under review, I would imagine that is a good thing.

Don't worry at all...I remember that she said, "at this point we will notify everyone by mail" Don't lose hope.

 

[EE2MD]

PHDMD2B,

I interviewed the same day as you. I just called today and they said a decision has been made for me.

However, I remember in our exit meeting that she said that if we were accepted and we called, usually they would tell you. And if you were rejected, they would say that its in the mail.

So I am anticipating a rejection, sigh. If you are still under review, I would imagine that is a good thing.

Dont loose hope they didnt tell me I was accepted when I called after they had clearly made a decision.

 

[musinj6]

Geez, folks...you must be keeping the pharmacies booming with business with the amount of Prilosec and Zantac you must be buying to treat the ulcers your creating for yourselves.



DrKD2007 was on point. You'll find out soon enough. I've had conflicting info from different UNC admissions employees, so I'm not confident that they know exactly what's going on.

For what it is worth, I was told yesterday by a UNC admissions lady that there are still acceptances being decided upon.

The same applies for ECU. I specifically asked whether we would get all types of notifications via mail and they said yes.

 

[PHDMD2B]

Well unless ECU has changed since last year (which I really doubt), I would expect letters going out would be either a rejection or acceptance. They didn't send out waitlist letters until after May 15 since they know they will have a large amount of accepted students decline. I'm not trying to bring anyone down cause I may have one on the way to me as well I just haven't called yet, I'm just basing this on last year. Either way until it's in your hand there's no need to worry about it. Good luck everyone.

G

 

[momtwo]

I wish everyone well. This process is very drawn out and no waiting game is ever easy. Also it's hard to try and project where you might be next year- what you might be doing - hard planning anything! I think everyone's doing an okay job of waiting - this is the place to vent and to share worry - I'm betting that in other areas of their (probably very busy) lives all of the posters are doing just fine. I see my daughter every day (she's still waiting for decisions on UNC and ECU too since November) and she is JUST FINE - working a ton, volunteering, SLEEPING even, going out, going to school, looking forward to graduation etc. Totally normal, regular life - - not sitting around stressing at all. I don't see one bit of outward stress coming from her but yet I'm sure if she posted she'd mention the grueling wait and maybe come across here as seeming "stressed". This is the place to do it - if not here where else?! I know we all(parents, friends, significant others included) can't wait til it's over with. Nobody enjoys things like this process at any age, stage or situation. It's not even easy being second party to it!

 

[topdogg82]

i don't think most people sit around all day wondering about their app decisions, but it's almost impossible not to think about where you're gonna be for the next 4 years, especially with so much uncertainty. and obviously you have your preferences for where you want to end up, so during those moments it definitely is frustrating. however, i'm still loving my last semester here and going out like a true senior

 

[PHDMD2B]

Did anyone get their letter from ECU? I just called Shelia and she said the committee made a decision and that it would take a few days to get the letter out to me since they need to get signatures. I hope this is good news, but I still think it's either a rejection or acceptance. Still too early for WL at ECU. Again good luck to everyone.

G

 

[applegreen]

No letter yet; I'm hoping for one today or tomorrow. The signature thing sounds pretty promising though. Good luck!

 

[PHDMD2B]

Hey I'm hoping for good news, but until it's in my hand it really means nothing.

G