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Oh man that's pretty harsh... Did they start out that blunt with the first rejection?
2009-2010 University of Virginia Application Thread
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Oh man that's pretty harsh... Did they start out that blunt with the first rejection?
Congrats to you guys! I got accepted this morning. Is anybody trying to make it there for 2nd look?
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CONGRATS TO ALL THOSE ACCEPTED!!! If you guys are interested in second look, I think the deadline for RSVPing is actually tomorrow. In case you don't get the formal email invitation in time, you might want to call the admissions office today to tell them that you're interested in going.
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I got the email too. It was addressed to admitted students so I assumed that meant I got in. I'm super stoked!
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Congrats guys!
I got the email before the letter too, so you guys should be golden
Congrats to you for having the most impressive cycle I have seen or heard of
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Has anyone actually been contacted by certiphi? I got the email on monday and got my acceptance letter tuesday but have yet to get the actual request from certiphi....
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Bumping this thread to the top since tomorrow is second look. 😀
Hope to see you guys there!
Hope to see you guys there!
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Who's going?
(Or should I say "hoo's" going 😎)
(Or should I say "hoo's" going 😎)
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Is it true that ~10% of UVAs 4th year class had to scramble this year?
where did you hear that? that doesn't sound accurate. last year they matched 138 students, which was equivalent to 99% of participants. this year they matched 131, which is slightly lower, but I don't know the total number of participants, since not everyone who is a part of the class will actually apply.
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I was going to ask if anyone had to scramble, but I didn't. I did get the impression that no one had trouble, though. *shrug* I have the match list sitting next to me 🙂
in the mood for a lot of typing? 😉
messing. I assume you got it from 2nd look...how did all of that go?
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I can summarize for you, and give you more specifics if you want. 🙂
9 matched into Anesthesiology, 1 in Dematology, 10 in Emergency Medicine, 10 in Family Medicine, 3 in General Surgery, 25 in Internal Medicine, 3 in Med-Peds, 2 in Med-Prelim, 1 in Med-Psych, 2 in Neurosurgery, 5 in Neurology (one in Child), 1 in OB-Gyn-Prelim, 4 in OB-Gyn, 2 in Ophthalmology, 4 in Ortho, 4 in Otolargyngology, 27 in Peds, 3 in Physical Med & Rehab, 6 in Psych, 3 in Rad, 2 in Surgery-Prelim, and 3 in Urology.
20 Matched at UVA.
I had fun, met a lot of interesting people, got a lot more familiar with the school. The new building looks amazing (and it's not done yet. But, unlike virtually every construction project I've ever seen, it's both on time and on budget). Got lots of questions answered about the curriculum, and it looks like it'll be really helpful. Plus, on the new curriculum, fourth year is now longer than a year 🙂
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I couldn't go, could you give a generalized overview of the new curriculum? Like I know it will be more small group rather than lecture. But will it be PBL or something different?
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Evidently, the USMLE is going more towards case-study type of questions... from my understanding, kind of like the passage questions on the MCAT. So, they're moving so that all the tests are like that, and most of the classes will be taught with cases. A couple of the instructors were there, and they said they were going to try to keep the lectures less than 30 minutes, 20 minutes is more ideal, and a good portion of the class will be spent problem solving on a case.
One example given was in a Hematology lecture. The instructor might start with a couple questions relating to the required reading for the day... a quiz in a sense. Then, there'd be a short lecture on different types of leukemia. Then, a slide would be put up showing a smear. We'd identify the cells shown, and figure out a differential diagnosis, first individually, then in our small group of 9 (at the tables in the TEAL room). Then we'd debrief as a class.
Class is from 8-12, with an afternoon a week spent doing our clinical performance stuff, and an afternoon in either the fall or spring doing a service learning thing in Charlottesville. In second semester, when we do the Muscles, we'll do anatomy lab sometimes too, but I'm not exactly sure when that fits in. It's tag team, though, so only half the class will be in lab at any given time.
They still haven't figured out what'll happen second year for that first semester when both us and the first years will be using the TEAL room, but Dr. Canterbury suspects it'll be a change in class times... perhaps one group will have class in the morning and one will have class in the afternoon.
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That's great, thanks. I remember some students told me they were changing the curriculum towards the boards but I didn't know what that meant and I forgot to ask my interviewer
LOL, luckily the first rejections were email. All kidding aside though, they knew it wasn't going to be a big surprise to me because it was pre-interview and I already had a ton of rejections already (as well as a very nice acceptance to my favorite school that made none of them matter to me).
🙂
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If you get a chance to look at the website, it's the Social Issues in Medicine course. There's a lot of different opportunities, and you can even design your own if none of the current ones fit. One girl goes to a local elementary school and teaches nutrition. There's opportunities at Planned Parenthood, the Crisis Center, Social Services, etc.
They mandate that most of your time be spent in face-to-face contact with people, and the object of the course is to get you to see medicine from a different point of view, but I'm not exactly sure how they do the evaluation or what, exactly, is required of the students. It's one afternoon a week in either the fall or spring semesters (except if you're a Big Sibling, in which case you have to commit to doing both semesters per the organization).
Hey New Hoos,
I'm 100% going to UVA. Bummer I had to miss 2nd Look. Hope everyone had a good time. Noticed people were asking about the match list for the 2010 class. Found it while i was browsing the SOM Admissions FAQs: http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/handbook/residency/Match/10/index.cfm They have every match list since 1998 posted.
Saludos,
Peter Murphy
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Wish I could have gone to the Second Look. 🙁
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I had a great time at second look. The building is beautiful and much larger than I imagined it would be. I guess I wasn't really taking the simulated patient rooms or the simulation centers into account when I thought about the inside. The view from the learning studio is part of the nursing school, a pretty french house and the brick buildings right off of the lawn. I also like the historic columns that they're installing on the inside; it's a cool way for the school to infuse the room with a little bit of UVA's style. I could definitely see myself spending a lot of class-time learning in there. And how about that student lounge? A kitchen and a dance floor? I can see why the students all seem happy to be there and why they love their school. I also really liked all of the faculty that I met, as well as those involved with the panel. Did everyone taking the tour meet the anesthesiology professor in the sim center? That guy was hilarious.
Most of all, I enjoyed meeting so many great accepted students. I hope to see you guys in the spring. 🙂
Most of all, I enjoyed meeting so many great accepted students. I hope to see you guys in the spring. 🙂
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withdrew from uva today. good luck to those waitlisted!
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Seeing as the application cycle is winding down, but the thread is still somewhat active, figured now would be a good time to ask this question.
I'll be applying to UVA this summer and it is currently in my top places I'd like to go. I'm curious if all of you have any advice for someone who will be applying this year that you wish you would have known beforehand?
Any forms/due dates/etc. that caught you off guard or weren't explained well?
Any sort of feel for anything that UVA might value more highly than other medical schools?
Any general advice?
Thanks
I'll be applying to UVA this summer and it is currently in my top places I'd like to go. I'm curious if all of you have any advice for someone who will be applying this year that you wish you would have known beforehand?
Any forms/due dates/etc. that caught you off guard or weren't explained well?
Any sort of feel for anything that UVA might value more highly than other medical schools?
Any general advice?
Thanks
I was hoping I could get some input from the board. I am trying to reach my final decision and was wondering what current students and soon to be first years think about UVa. I know this is a super open ended question but maybe in a sentence or two just say what sold you on UVa. I am down to my own state school and UVa, but I still have a lot of thinking to do. Thanks.
Here are my thoughts (OOS, withdrew from the waitlist).
I mentioned specific experience I had in Virginia in my essays, really tried to personalize everything as much as possible. I was very honest about my reasons for being interested, and I think they appreciated that. (On the other hand, I have to admit that I filled a lot of space with some really boring stuff about the new building, the location - basically the same stuff I had in a lot of other secondary essays. Looking at it now, my eyes glaze over so quickly I can't even read it)
My interviewers had clearly read my file very carefully, and that was nice. I, on the other hand, lost my folder at Dallas International, and showed up to the interview completely unprepared for specific questions about the volunteer service I had done in Virginia. (I had intended to read through it during my layover. I felt pretty silly not knowing the answer to "What Charlottesville elementary school did you work at?", but it was 5 years ago, and I've volunteered at so many schools since then! Oh well.)
They also asked me a lot of questions to feel out whether I would fit well with their new curriculum. They seemed very focused on admitting students who would really love their new structure. (Something I wish I knew beforehand: Although I knew UVA was going to a small-group format, I didn't realize the extent of what that meant until they explained it on our interview day. I learn best by studying on my own after class, so I had figured that lecture vs. small-group didn't matter to me - but when they described it, the idea of having my day tied up in mandatory small-groups didn't appeal to me at all. I also didn't like mandatory community service (I do like community service, but I think it loses the 'service' aspect when you require it.) Overall, the interview day made me realize that their new structure reminded me of everything I disliked about high school, so I withdrew.)
That said, UVA is obviously a top school with incredible resources, and this small-group format is going to be a huge benefit for many people. It's pretty unique, so if that learning style fits you, I'd suggest that you try focusing one of your secondary essays on why you specifically are a good fit for the new curriculum. Their board scores are pretty damned impressive, and I have no doubt they'll stay that way.
Their admissions office also really takes care of you - they have a great interview day set up, and the current students seem really happy. Best of luck.
UVA has a great program and is opening awesome new facilities this summer. What sold me, though, were the students I met. It really seemed that they enjoyed themselves more than students at any other medical school (especially comparably ranked ones). UVA seems to really embrace students' outside interests in addition to merely studying. This really stood out to me.
Also, for me (a PA resident), going to UVA out of state is probably equal to or cheaper than my in state schools, although this is probably not true for everyone.
This is just one person's opinion, though.
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I was in love with the school's location, facilities (for both the medical school and the institution as a whole), students and research opportunities. I don't think that I would like to deal with a stressful environment while trying to get though medical school, so Charlottesville seems like an ideal place for a medical education.
I would like to point out that the active learning classes are not mandatory for students. If you don't feel like you benefit from the 25-30 min. lecture / 25-30 min. discussion format, then you are free to skip it and study independently from what I understand after attending second-look. The only mandatory classes are the small-group classes in the afternoon and labs, which is how it is at all medical schools. They are also building a huge lecture hall in the new building, so I think that some of the classes will continue to be taught in a traditional way. I personally think that I'll benefit from the new format because I don't get much out of straight powerpoint lectures. I've taught myself throughout undergrad, and I've enjoyed classes that break up the monotony of lecture by periodically presenting application questions and opening the class up to discussion. It sounds like this will be much more of an "active-lecture" than a pure PBL style of teaching.
I would like to point out that the active learning classes are not mandatory for students. If you don't feel like you benefit from the 25-30 min. lecture / 25-30 min. discussion format, then you are free to skip it and study independently from what I understand after attending second-look. The only mandatory classes are the small-group classes in the afternoon and labs, which is how it is at all medical schools. They are also building a huge lecture hall in the new building, so I think that some of the classes will continue to be taught in a traditional way. I personally think that I'll benefit from the new format because I don't get much out of straight powerpoint lectures. I've taught myself throughout undergrad, and I've enjoyed classes that break up the monotony of lecture by periodically presenting application questions and opening the class up to discussion. It sounds like this will be much more of an "active-lecture" than a pure PBL style of teaching.
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Thanks alot for the advice, I'll be sure to really read up on stuff before writing secondaries
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I'm still waiting to hear from my state school, and if I get in to both, it will be a hard decision for me. I went to second look thinking that if I got into my state school, I'd drop UVA's acceptance in a heartbeat, but after listening to everyone talk about UVA, it will honestly be a hard thing to do.
What sold me from the beginning was the happiness of the students, and you will hear this time and time again. The interview day was definitely one of the best, in part because it's so small and intimate (there are only about 6 people on each interview day), and in part because everyone is genuinely excited about you being there. They only invite people to interview that they find interesting, and the interviewers know your application very well, so you aren't going to waste your 30 minutes going over your application again, but rather figuring things out that aren't in your application.
The new curriculum is also amazing. I love case studies, as that's how things make sense in context to me, and that's really a central tenet of this new curriculum. It's PBL, but it's learning in a way that keeps you engaged through the lesson. And from the sounds of it, it's one of the best ways to study for the new board exams, since they'll be based on cases.
I like how UVA encourages students so that they don't burn out, so that they don't lose focus on what they wanted when they first came to med school. I love that the students and the faculty get along, and that they all work as a team, rather than the students doing a bunch of scut work. And I love that they have a huge network of alumni, and their name is so well known that you'll have no problems in finding someplace when it comes to starting your career, because there will always be someone willing to guide you.
Well said
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...And my state school rejected me, so I'm coming to UVA next year. That was easy. Looking forward to meeting everyone in August!
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does anyone know whether merit scholarships have been handed out? i know there are only like 1-2 per year and i'm definitely not expecting to get one, but i can dream, right?
and to anyone who is in the process of making a decision (as i still am), i'd just like to say that charlottesville is an excellent place to live. i did for a year after graduating college and it's a really great community with a lot going on for such a small city/town...great restaurants/bars, beautiful outdoor areas, the downtown mall, a pretty good arts and music scene, and inexpensive housing (at least relative to where i'm living now, which is twice as much for half of what i had in my old apartment). i'm guessing anyone who visited c'ville for second look already realized all this, but just figured i'd throw my 2 cents in. if you have questions about what it's like to live there, feel free to pm me.
and i worked for an organization that had some close ties to the uva health system...all the med students and faculty members i've met have always been really fantastic, down-to-earth, and supportive people.
and to anyone who is in the process of making a decision (as i still am), i'd just like to say that charlottesville is an excellent place to live. i did for a year after graduating college and it's a really great community with a lot going on for such a small city/town...great restaurants/bars, beautiful outdoor areas, the downtown mall, a pretty good arts and music scene, and inexpensive housing (at least relative to where i'm living now, which is twice as much for half of what i had in my old apartment). i'm guessing anyone who visited c'ville for second look already realized all this, but just figured i'd throw my 2 cents in. if you have questions about what it's like to live there, feel free to pm me.
and i worked for an organization that had some close ties to the uva health system...all the med students and faculty members i've met have always been really fantastic, down-to-earth, and supportive people.
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Huh, that sounds...interesting. I guess this means attendance is mandatory, then?
BTW, isn't there some financial aid form due today? Can somebody post the link?
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Not sure how mandatory attendance is, beyond the obviously mandatory labs and whatnot, but I'd guess that it's okay to skip out on lectures if you don't learn that way.
Today's the priority deadline for financial aid, so they need your (and your parent's) tax forms, as well as the online application. Here's the link to the financial aid website: http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/financial-aid/app-process.cfm
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Did anyone receive a confirmation that all your financial aid forms were in? Or do they not do that?
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I called and asked them to check for me.
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