2010-2011 University of Texas - Houston Application Thread

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The interview social the night before is a good way of getting to know the students in a more relaxed atmosphere. It's a great opportunity to ask the brand new MS1s what they think about the transition to medical school.

It's just our way of welcoming you to Houston and giving you a chance to ask real students anything you want and get an honest response.

More importantly: how do you have 113k posts? 😕😕
 
are the interviews normally on fridays?
 
More importantly: how do you have 113k posts? 😕😕

I have also wondered this.

I was able to re-schedule for the 17th. Flying to D.C. on the third. I thought about canceling my other interview, since UTH is my # 1 choice, and I don't want to do anything that'll decrease my chances of getting in there... but at this point, I feel like it would be super arrogant to decline a private school interview just because I went to go here in TX. So I won't be around to meet Cole in real life (sadly), but I do strongly encourage you guys to check out Little Woodrows-- also, if you actually like beer, go about one door down to Gingerman. Excellent bar in terms of beer selection.
 
I have also wondered this.

I was able to re-schedule for the 17th. Flying to D.C. on the third. I thought about canceling my other interview, since UTH is my # 1 choice, and I don't want to do anything that'll decrease my chances of getting in there... but at this point, I feel like it would be super arrogant to decline a private school interview just because I went to go here in TX. So I won't be around to meet Cole in real life (sadly), but I do strongly encourage you guys to check out Little Woodrows-- also, if you actually like beer, go about one door down to Gingerman. Excellent bar in terms of beer selection.

A real disappointment.
 
Clearly a lot of hard work over the past few days, since the post count is now around 500K. 😉

Haha pretty sure it's 13,190, not 513,190. Not sure how armybound can change it. I remember last year it was around 11,000 and then one day I noticed it changed to 111,000. Obviously the most important topic of this thread 🙂
 
I'll be there for the 9/3 interview!
 
Can a UTHSC Houston MS please give me broken down information on

What the grading system is; pass/fail, a/b/c/d/f, etc?

-I've noticed they include PBL in year II is it just one course? And what is the learning style year I (Lecture and paper and/or computer exam)? Any practical examinations year I or II?

And what they mean in the MSAR by stating under the USMILE section

Step 1: Required(this is understood). Students must only record a score.
-Are they implying that you dont have to pass step 1?
-If you have to record a step score and the grade does not seem to matter then, how does it affect you?

I have searched in length to figure out what the grading/learning style is for this particular school and it seems so complicated and elusive. Much thanks in advance to anyone/those who can clarify.😕
 
we have an honors/high pass/pass/marginal performance/fail system. There are no grade quotas, so everyone can honor a course if they score high enough. There is one exception in MS1 for a pass/fail only course.

PBL second year is year-long and is 2 hours long 3 times per week. There are other PBL-style courses in MS1 (the pass/fail course I alluded to) but they only have one session per block. Exams are paper exams with Scantrons. There are practical portions of the gross anatomy, histology, and neuroscience exams. I'm not sure yet if there are practical exams in MS2, but I suspect there may be for pathology.

i'm not sure what the answer to your USMLE question is, sorry.
 
we have an honors/high pass/pass/marginal performance/fail system. There are no grade quotas, so everyone can honor a course if they score high enough. There is one exception in MS1 for a pass/fail only course.

PBL second year is year-long and is 2 hours long 3 times per week. There are other PBL-style courses in MS1 (the pass/fail course I alluded to) but they only have one session per block. Exams are paper exams with Scantrons. There are practical portions of the gross anatomy, histology, and neuroscience exams. I'm not sure yet if there are practical exams in MS2, but I suspect there may be for pathology.

i'm not sure what the answer to your USMLE question is, sorry.

Thank you so much for the information thus far. Piggyback questions: doesn't that technically manifest as an a/b/c/d/f system (due to the amount of rankings)? Does it alleviate any pressure of worrying about grades/competitiveness and thus cause an increase concern/desire for comphrension?

Ok, can you please explain what the requirements are for step 1&2? As in do you have to pass step 1 to matriculate to yearII or is the policy that you must pass step 1&2 by the time you graduate? Thanks again!
 
It's sort of similar to ABCDF, but the cutoffs aren't the same. It varies by course, but honors is typically 90+, high pass is 85-89, and pass is 70-84. They do a good job of testing us based on comprehension. Worrying about grades and competitiveness is up to the individual. I've definitely stressed over grades, and I've also told myself just to comprehend the info and not worry about exam grades. You can treat any class as pass/fail if you want.

You have to pass Step 1 to start third year, I believe, and I think you have to pass Step 2 to graduate. Maybe the website is saying that you just have to pass Step 1 and you don't have to score some cutoff score.
 
Interviewing 9/3! Can't wait to see half a dozen of you lovely people. 😀
 
does anyone know what day interview invites are normally sent out? Or do they send out invites throughout the week?
 
About how big are the interview groups on a given interview date?
 
I am hoping to get an interview here. UTSW will be listed as my #1 choice, but honestly, I would love to be in Houston. I think UTSW is too cutthroat, and the horror stories about backstabbing peers is pretty disturbing.

I've read a lot about how the medical students at UTH are a cohesive group, and everyone wants everyone else to succeed. Sounds exactly like my type of school.. but UTSW's reputation is high up there (I've got a lot of friends that are attending UTSW right now), and the location is great because Dallas is basically my second home.

My stats are way below average for UTSW, but just about right for UTH. If I got accepted to both schools, it would be a very tough decision..
 
I am hoping to get an interview here. UTSW will be listed as my #1 choice, but honestly, I would love to be in Houston. I think UTSW is too cutthroat, and the horror stories about backstabbing peers is pretty disturbing.

I've read a lot about how the medical students at UTH are a cohesive group, and everyone wants everyone else to succeed. Sounds exactly like my type of school.. but UTSW's reputation is high up there (I've got a lot of friends that are attending UTSW right now), and the location is great because Dallas is basically my second home.

My stats are way below average for UTSW, but just about right for UTH. If I got accepted to both schools, it would be a very tough decision..

I've been waiting for this moment...

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNsrK6P9QvI[/YOUTUBE]
 
I've been waiting for this moment...

[YOUTUBE]BNsrK6P9QvI[/YOUTUBE]

I'm sorry if you see the same thing every year. I mean, when you're in these forums for 5+ years and you get a lot of newcomers, you sort of expect to. Lame.
 
I'm sorry if you see the same thing every year. I mean, when you're in these forums for 5+ years and you get a lot of newcomers, you sort of expect to. Lame.

Lol, it has nothing to do with seeing the same thing every year. It's kinda like, if you're dating two girls (or guys), you don't tell Sally that you would definitely choose Betty over her, but in case Betty rejects you, you wouldn't mind boning Sally either. Sally might not like that comment 🙄

It doesn't matter either way, we obviously had our own 1st/2nd/3rd choices. It was just a weird thing to say.
 
Lol, it has nothing to do with seeing the same thing every year. It's kinda like, if you're dating two girls (or guys), you don't tell Sally that you would definitely choose Betty over her, but in case Betty rejects you, you wouldn't mind boning Sally either. Sally might not like that comment 🙄

It doesn't matter either way, we obviously had our own 1st/2nd/3rd choices. It was just a weird thing to say.
Except, in this situation, Betty is abusive and ugly and Sally is cute/smart/funny, but Betty's grandparents have money that she may or may not get as an inheritence and you somehow think that is going to positively impact your future enough to put up with Betty's crap.

I mean if you're going to admit that one school sounds awful but you'd choose it because it ranks higher in a list comparing research dollars (which impacts your education how, exactly?), knock yourself out.
 
Except, in this situation, Betty is abusive and ugly and Sally is cute/smart/funny, but Betty's grandparents have money that she may or may not get as an inheritence and you somehow think that is going to positively impact your future enough to put up with Betty's crap.

I mean if you're going to admit that one school sounds awful but you'd choose it because it ranks higher in a list comparing research dollars (which impacts your education how, exactly?), knock yourself out.

This is spot on. Why spend four years somewhere you might be unhappy when you could spend four years with awesome people in Houston, get a kickass score on Step 1 and have your choice of residency? Some people's logic escapes me.
 
This is spot on. Why spend four years somewhere you might be unhappy when you could spend four years with awesome people in Houston, get a kickass score on Step 1 and have your choice of residency? Some people's logic escapes me.

Are the people in Houston really awesome? I've never been... I'll wait to visit the schools. Things aren't always what they seem.
 
Are the people in Houston really awesome? I've never been... I'll wait to visit the schools. Things aren't always what they seem.

Firstly, yes uth students are awesome.😀 Secondly, the main point of what I was saying was why spend 4 years in the "cutthroat environment" you seem to dread just to go to a school with a reputation? If you end up in Houston you will get just as good an education imo and may be happier. If, when you visit Houston, you aren't impressed by how happy and laid back UTH students are then we aren't giving a very good representation of ourselves. You'll just have to see for yourself. Of course I could be biased, but this is a UT Houston thread! Good luck to you wherever you end up :luck:
 
And minus the humidity, Houston really is a great city.
 
Humidity builds character, dammit!

Sorry, I'm from Houston. 😀
 
And minus the humidity, Houston really is a great city.

I grew up in the Dallas area, and I think that Houston's weather is more tolerable than Dallas. It doesn't get as hot here. Sure it's humid, but Dallas is also pretty humid with higher temps.
 
My TMDSAS application was transmitted to UT- Houston HSC on August 12 but I havent heard a thing yet 🙁
I have been living in Houston for two years and have no intention of leaving this lovely city... UTH would be a great fit especially for my family!

Keeping fingers crossed!
 
My TMDSAS application was transmitted to UT- Houston HSC on August 12 but I havent heard a thing yet 🙁
I have been living in Houston for two years and have no intention of leaving this lovely city... UTH would be a great fit especially for my family!

Keeping fingers crossed!

It's still really early! Remember UTH interviews into January. Good Luck 🙂:luck:
 
For some schools you might not hear until pretty late in the year. Doesn't mean you're not getting in. With so many applications it takes time.
 
For those of you with interview offers, what is the interview day like? Around what time could one expect to be done?
 
For those of you with interview offers, what is the interview day like? Around what time could one expect to be done?
I've heard that they're changing up the interview day this year so that everyone finishes at the same time. I'll see if the guy in charge of tours will come tell us what the day is like now.
 
congrats guys!

if you guys don't mind, when were your apps transmitted?

Did you get a call or email?

Thanks!
 
I will be a tour guide this year. You will have two interviews, lunch, a walking tour of the medical school and Memorial Hermann Hospital, and a bus tour which goes to The Texas Heart Institute, the UTH rec center, student housing, and the medical center in general. You will do these things in different orders depending on what group you are in. I can't comment on what time you should be finished, so hopefully armybound can answer that after talking to the tour coordinator.

There should also be a pre-interview social with MS1's and some MS2's the night before. It will be a lot of fun so if possible you should try to come!
 
I will be a tour guide this year. You will have two interviews, lunch, a walking tour of the medical school and Memorial Hermann Hospital, and a bus tour which goes to The Texas Heart Institute, the UTH rec center, student housing, and the medical center in general. You will do these things in different orders depending on what group you are in. I can't comment on what time you should be finished, so hopefully armybound can answer that after talking to the tour coordinator.

There should also be a pre-interview social with MS1's and some MS2's the night before. It will be a lot of fun so if possible you should try to come!
did he give you guys the tour how-to demonstration yet?

I may also ask for your help when non-applicant visitors want a tour of the school if you're down for that.
 
I will be a tour guide this year. You will have two interviews, lunch, a walking tour of the medical school and Memorial Hermann Hospital, and a bus tour which goes to The Texas Heart Institute, the UTH rec center, student housing, and the medical center in general. You will do these things in different orders depending on what group you are in. I can't comment on what time you should be finished, so hopefully armybound can answer that after talking to the tour coordinator.

There should also be a pre-interview social with MS1's and some MS2's the night before. It will be a lot of fun so if possible you should try to come!

The email they sent us with the interview information said we should be done around 3:30pm
 
did he give you guys the tour how-to demonstration yet?

I may also ask for your help when non-applicant visitors want a tour of the school if you're down for that.

Of course! We learned the routes today.

Thanks, ninefivethree!

And btw: don't forget about lunch. I'm not sure what it will be this year but it was awesome last year. Yum 🙂
 
Of course! We learned the routes today.

Thanks, ninefivethree!

And btw: don't forget about lunch. I'm not sure what it will be this year but it was awesome last year. Yum 🙂

My money is on fajitas.
 
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