2010-2011 University of Texas Medical Branch Application Thread

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Hey,
So I have an interview on Jan 14th, yay! However I am flying from Jersey and that just makes travel a little complicated. The admissions lady told me the closest airport was the Hobby one, however the Bush airport, IAH, has cheaper flights at better times for me. How far away is it from UTMB? On mapquest Hobby was about 55mins away. I am having an MD/PhD interview which is stated to end around 530, however the latest flights I could find out of IAH were at 740pm. Will that be enough time?
Sorry I am bombarding with questions, but I had another. I have a friend I would like to visit in Waco TX, however the greyhound bus service takes a ridiculous 16 hours to get there because of layover. Are there any other reliable bus services from galveston to Waco?
Finally is anyone was Baylor interviewing on the 14th of Jan that I can hitch a ride with? We can split the gas money.
Okay PM me if you have responses please, or just post it here
Thanks
 
hey guys
Iam traveling from the DFW area. Iam trying to make my travel arrangements and i noticed that the last shuttle leaves Galveston at 1:30pm and the interview invitation says the process ends at 3:30pm. For those who have interviewed how did you get back to Hobby or is there another shuttle service avaible?
 
Hey,
So I have an interview on Jan 14th, yay! However I am flying from Jersey and that just makes travel a little complicated. The admissions lady told me the closest airport was the Hobby one, however the Bush airport, IAH, has cheaper flights at better times for me. How far away is it from UTMB? On mapquest Hobby was about 55mins away. I am having an MD/PhD interview which is stated to end around 530, however the latest flights I could find out of IAH were at 740pm. Will that be enough time?
Sorry I am bombarding with questions, but I had another. I have a friend I would like to visit in Waco TX, however the greyhound bus service takes a ridiculous 16 hours to get there because of layover. Are there any other reliable bus services from galveston to Waco?
Finally is anyone was Baylor interviewing on the 14th of Jan that I can hitch a ride with? We can split the gas money.
Okay PM me if you have responses please, or just post it here
Thanks

I dont think 2hrs would be enough to get from UTMB to hobby airport and check in. Especially since 530ish-630ish is traffic time, you will have to factor that in.

I dont think there is a more reliable transportation than greyhound unless you rent a car or take a cab.

you have your interview at baylor and utmb on the same day???
 
hitsugaaya and azaleya if you don't mind sharing how old are you? When I was interviewing I wasn't 21 yet so I couldn't rent a car. That is the only reason I used the shuttle. As far as I know it is the only one that is available between the two places. But rental cars can be fairly inexpensive these days. 20 buck a day! And it sounds like you guys are only staying the day of the interview???Maybe it is an option for you. If you are staying longer, were you planning on staying with a student? Through the student match program, maybe you could take the shuttle in, and pay the student to drive you to the airport on the way out? My student offered to take me to the airport but I had already prepaid for both ways on the shuttle.
 
At my interview they said you can do your third and fourth year rotations in Houston. Which hospitals are UTMB affiliated with? The same ones for UTH?
 
Does Galveston grade on a curve?

No is the short answer, but the long answer is that they run statistics on each test we take, and occasionally, if it turns out there is a bad question, statistically speaking (ie- lots of people missed it or the people getting the correct answer are in the bottom part of the class while the people getting it wrong are in the top of the class (read: guessing gave you the right answer instead of knowledge)), they will occasionally throw a question or two out, or double key a question (like, make 2 answers correct instead of just the 1 they intended to be right), but in general they don't really round, at least so far this semester.

Grading is Honors (top 10-15% of class), High Pass (normally grades of 88 or higher), Pass (70-88ish).
 
Hey,
So I have an interview on Jan 14th, yay! However I am flying from Jersey and that just makes travel a little complicated. The admissions lady told me the closest airport was the Hobby one, however the Bush airport, IAH, has cheaper flights at better times for me. How far away is it from UTMB? On mapquest Hobby was about 55mins away. I am having an MD/PhD interview which is stated to end around 530, however the latest flights I could find out of IAH were at 740pm. Will that be enough time?
Sorry I am bombarding with questions, but I had another. I have a friend I would like to visit in Waco TX, however the greyhound bus service takes a ridiculous 16 hours to get there because of layover. Are there any other reliable bus services from galveston to Waco?
Finally is anyone was Baylor interviewing on the 14th of Jan that I can hitch a ride with? We can split the gas money.
Okay PM me if you have responses please, or just post it here
Thanks


I would say that would be a risky trip... 2 hours is cutting it VERY close. And traffic is going to be bad... Friday and rush hour in Houston = baddddd lol. Especially if you're not from here. That will just add stress.

Trust me, I've lived all over Houston... for 24 years... And driven in Houston for ~8-9yrs. If you can absolutely avoid it, do so.

That being said, call UTMB, explain your situation, and see if you can get interviews earlier in the day so you can get out and on the road sooner. I'd be surprised if they wouldn't work w/ ya on it. We're nice down here in Galveston :laugh:

Good luck! :luck:
 
No is the short answer, but the long answer is that they run statistics on each test we take, and occasionally, if it turns out there is a bad question, statistically speaking (ie- lots of people missed it or the people getting the correct answer are in the bottom part of the class while the people getting it wrong are in the top of the class (read: guessing gave you the right answer instead of knowledge)), they will occasionally throw a question or two out, or double key a question (like, make 2 answers correct instead of just the 1 they intended to be right), but in general they don't really round, at least so far this semester.

Grading is Honors (top 10-15% of class), High Pass (normally grades of 88 or higher), Pass (70-88ish).

Sorry I should have clarified my question; I didn't mean if they adjust the grades, what I meant was do they normalize them by grading on a bell curve? For instance, say 15% of the class gets a 98 on the test, and the next highest grade is a 97. Then the person with a 97 gets a High Pass instead of Honors? Another extreme example: If the whole class got an A on a test, would some people merely get a Pass, simply because they were in the bottom percentage of the class?
 
Sorry I should have clarified my question; I didn't mean if they adjust the grades, what I meant was do they normalize them by grading on a bell curve? For instance, say 15% of the class gets a 98 on the test, and the next highest grade is a 97. Then the person with a 97 gets a High Pass instead of Honors? Another extreme example: If the whole class got an A on a test, would some people merely get a Pass, simply because they were in the bottom percentage of the class?

For the first example, I believe the answer is yes, the person with 97 would get High Pass. Only 10-15% get Honors, no matter what, is what I have been lead to understand.

For the second example, I think everyone would get High Pass or Honors, because at least for the first two blocks, I believe a numerical grade (~88-89 or higher) was set for High Pass. If you achieved that 88-89 or higher, you got at least high pass. However, I think this is something that varies from class to class so I wouldn't set your decision of UTMB vs. other school on the answer to this 😉

Hope that helps! Sorry if some of that doesn't make sense... my brain is a bit fried... final exam this week 🙄
 
Just got an acceptance! Email sent at 3:54 PM. 🙂

Edit - That's 3:54 central time.
 
Accepted!!!!!

God is amazing!! This is my first choice school, I received my acceptance as I was at the airport getting ready for another interview!! I've waited my whole life for this email.

Thank you Jesus!!!
 
For the second example, I think everyone would get High Pass or Honors, because at least for the first two blocks, I believe a numerical grade (~88-89 or higher) was set for High Pass. If you achieved that 88-89 or higher, you got at least high pass. However, I think this is something that varies from class to class so I wouldn't set your decision of UTMB vs. other school on the answer to this 😉

OK, well the normalization is the only downside I can find with this school, otherwise I loved it (half-days, the game y'all play every Friday, etc.). So you don't think it's too much of a problem? It just seems to me like it would encourage heightened competition.

Also, as far as research goes, do you know when a lot of people choose to do it? Summer after 1st year, or just dispersed throughout the academic year? Just asking cause I thought I remember Galveston having a shorter summer break between M1 and M2 than most other Texas schools.

Congrats to all accepted today!
 
👍 Acceptance email received today also! I interviewed on November 12th. Congrats everyone!!! :laugh:
 
Congrats to those who were accepted today... are you guys IS or OOS?
 
Instate, interviewed nov 19. I was also told not to expect a pre match or even a match and that I should wait for waiting list movement. I beat all the odds!!!
 
Have there been any OOS acceptances yet? I know that they have been able to accept OOS since 10/15 but have they sent any yet?
 
interviewed in september, accepted today, withdrawing
 
How long does it take for UTMB to show up on the TMDSAS match list after the interview?
 
OOS accepted, interviewed 11/12. First acceptance of this cycle, super excited!
 
Hey guys I have a questions,

Each Texas schools interviews about 900-950 out of about 3000-4000 students every year. From these only 300-350 get accepted and 230 actually go. Do you think its the same 1000-1500 people getting most of the interviews to multiple school ?

I dont know if that makes any sense, but just wondering what my chances were....
 
Hey guys I have a questions,

Each Texas schools interviews about 900-950 out of about 3000-4000 students every year. From these only 300-350 get accepted and 230 actually go. Do you think its the same 1000-1500 people getting most of the interviews to multiple school ?

I dont know if that makes any sense, but just wondering what my chances were....

There is a lot of overlap if that is what you are asking... I know at all of my interviews, many of the people had multiple Texas interviews. If you are good for one Texas school, you are likely to be good for many of them... But there are lots of people that interview at 3 or more places and dont get an acceptance at all, so this does not mean that your chances are better because people that get accepted have multiple acceptances leaving extra spots available for the rest of us.
 
Does anyone know the MD/PhD statistics (applied, interviewed, accepted, matriculated)? I can't seem to find them...
 
Hello Everyone!

I just received my acceptance email on 10/14! I'm very excited! This is my first post, but I've been keeping up with this thread for months, now I'm official LOL....I'm in-state and interviewed 11/12...I can't wait to meet everyone 😉
 
Accepted!!!!!

God is amazing!! This is my first choice school, I received my acceptance as I was at the airport getting ready for another interview!! I've waited my whole life for this email.

Thank you Jesus!!!
Yes HE is!
 
Has anyone who interviewed at UTMB in December been pre-matched to UTMB yet?

From what I have seen, they just got through the pre-Thanksgiving interviews.

I still have hope.... I hope.
 
I just got accepted a few days ago. To people that have already gotten their acceptance letter, does UTMB offer much in terms of scholarships?
 
Yes HE is!


given God the glory -I like you guys already 🙂 my future classmates!
oh I interviewed on Nov 12th too! maybe we met? I was at the table near the speaker, the blonde chick with the frizzy hair cuz it was So humid haha
 
given God the glory -I like you guys already 🙂 my future classmates!
oh I interviewed on Nov 12th too! maybe we met? I was at the table near the speaker, the blonde chick with the frizzy hair cuz it was So humid haha
Sorry I wasn't going to post about this but given that their are 3 god-praising posts I couldn't help myself--would it have been god's doing if you didn't pre-match somewhere? Also, why is it that you are so important that god apparently micromanages your acceptance into med school, but appears to care so little about some other people that they receive fatal illnesses and starvation instead of graduate school offers?

(Not trying to start a religious debate, especially in a completely unrelated thread like this one, but I am genuinely curious how your mind can make this connection while ignoring other ones).
 
Sorry I wasn't going to post about this but given that their are 3 god-praising posts I couldn't help myself--would it have been god's doing if you didn't pre-match somewhere? Also, why is it that you are so important that god apparently micromanages your acceptance into med school, but appears to care so little about some other people that they receive fatal illnesses and starvation instead of graduate school offers?

(Not trying to start a religious debate, especially in a completely unrelated thread like this one, but I am genuinely curious how your mind can make this connection while ignoring other ones).

To each, their own.

I received a pre-match offer December 14. I interviewed October 29. I'm so happy to hear back from this great school! =)
 
given God the glory -I like you guys already 🙂 my future classmates!
oh I interviewed on Nov 12th too! maybe we met? I was at the table near the speaker, the blonde chick with the frizzy hair cuz it was So humid haha


LOL Well in that case..i was the black girl in the front with the frizzy black hair! lol we may have met. and YES it is humid in Galvy, I'm going to have to come up with a master plan for the next 4 years b/c my hair hated it on interview day!
 
Sorry I wasn't going to post about this but given that their are 3 god-praising posts I couldn't help myself--would it have been god's doing if you didn't pre-match somewhere? Also, why is it that you are so important that god apparently micromanages your acceptance into med school, but appears to care so little about some other people that they receive fatal illnesses and starvation instead of graduate school offers?

(Not trying to start a religious debate, especially in a completely unrelated thread like this one, but I am genuinely curious how your mind can make this connection while ignoring other ones).


I praise God for everything that happens in my life..good or bad..so YES, if i hadn't been accepted to UTMB then my praises would have still gone up because that would have meant that He had other plans for me. AND everyone is important to GOD, not just me..that's why great students like ourselves are being accepted and educated so that we can join others and cohesively combat those fatal illnesses and instances of starvation. Hope that helps your curiosity. 😉
 
On to another subject..has anyone began to think about living arrangements? Anyone know where most med students live? I'm going to start looking for apartments soon, really don't want to stay in the dorms...
 
On to another subject..has anyone began to think about living arrangements? Anyone know where most med students live? I'm going to start looking for apartments soon, really don't want to stay in the dorms...

There are many financially available options in Galveston.

Dorms
University apartments
Frats
Private Apartments
House w or w/o roommates.
 
interviewed 12/10 - UTMB showed up on my TMDSAS match list this morning...

I interviewed 12/3 and it still hasn't shown up for me yet....I'm not sure when I should try and talk to UTMB about it
 
I interviewed 12/3 and it still hasn't shown up for me yet....I'm not sure when I should try and talk to UTMB about it

have you heard anything? Mine finally showed up yesterday.

Does anyone know if UTMB Admissions will be in next week?
 
OK, well the normalization is the only downside I can find with this school, otherwise I loved it (half-days, the game y'all play every Friday, etc.). So you don't think it's too much of a problem? It just seems to me like it would encourage heightened competition.

Also, as far as research goes, do you know when a lot of people choose to do it? Summer after 1st year, or just dispersed throughout the academic year? Just asking cause I thought I remember Galveston having a shorter summer break between M1 and M2 than most other Texas schools.

Congrats to all accepted today!

LOL, we only play that game a lot of you early interviewees saw in the GAR (Gross Anatomy & Radiology) course... We miss it lol. But it's fun while it lasts 🙂

Surprisingly, people at UTMB are so kind and not overtly competitive, like not at all. Before this last test, I got like 3 powerpoints that people in my class made/got somehow that they sent out to everyone, as well several study guides, personal notes people had made, online flashcards, etc. Everyone shares things that they find helpful, be it a link or a document. This might be just the type of applicant that UTMB accepts, because we're on a BEACH 😀 or because we have that PBL (problem based learning) thing... we all work together early on and that fosters community. And when you take weekly small group PBL quizzes with people, you have to learn to trust other people with your grades a tiny bit (it's not a huge part of your grade). So, ultimately, the more everyone knows, the better everyone does. I dunno, everyone is just friendly -- honestly, my college had a more competitive environment than med school and I was at a state school... no Ivy or anything.

Sure, I think we're all competitive to some extent... I mean you have to be to get this far, but once you're in medical school, you're highly likely to get that MD in the end (just like everyone else) so why be a jerk about it or bring others down in the process if you claim to be out to help people? 🙄 Even if you did poorly throughout all medical school, and end up doing your residency at a no name place, you are STILL a doctor with an MD and a job doing the good things that you wanted to do.. and it doesn't mean you can't later go on to do amazing things later even if you aren't training with those in the tops of their fields. So, we just aren't that competitive here lol. We work really hard though ...

Regarding the summers, according to an email I literally got this week "Historically, about 90% of the class choose to participate in this clinical or research experience." ... which is 4 week clinicals or 8 weeks of research. I will be participating, though I'm not sure in what... I'll know more after the preceptorship meeting. I don't think almost anyone is doing research concurrently with classes. And yeah, summer is way too short... 8 weeks.. but ah well.

ENJOY YOUR SUMMER before medical school. Don't do any work/school you don't have to. Seriously. Don't pre-study or anything. Everyone told us that too, and we all worried that not studying beforehand would make us more behind... yeah, whatever. You will study more than you ever thought was possible in medical school, so don't waste your precious free time now! You guys probably won't listen, but it's the truth 🙂🙂

Sorry, very long post. PM me or post here with questions. I've got 2 glorious weeks off between blocks and I'm goofing off as much as possible. I am NOT picking up a textbook until the day back. So, I've got lots of free time to answer any questions you may have.

(as a side note, time off when you're in med school feels really weird... i truly can't quite grasp that I don't have to study today... or tomorrow... or next week... :laugh:)

Congrats and good luck to everyone!
 
have you heard anything? Mine finally showed up yesterday.

Does anyone know if UTMB Admissions will be in next week?

Mine still hasn't shown up. I don't know if they'll be in next week. I know that the next two weeks are the official Christmas break. I'm going to try emailing on Monday anyways I guess
 
Does anyone know the specific hospitals UTMB students can do their clinicals in Houton...I couldn't find a list.
 
Does anyone know the specific hospitals UTMB students can do their clinicals in Houton...I couldn't find a list.

I want to know the same thing. I posted the question last week and never got a response. Anyone know?
 
I want to know the same thing. I posted the question last week and never got a response. Anyone know?

during my interview, I was told mostly St lukes and St Joseph's
hope this helps.
 
Sorry you guys, I don't remember from my interviews last year what they said, and as a lowly first year 😉 I haven't been thinking about clinicals much at this point... I'm sure someone in the admissions office could answer your questions though. Happy holidays!
 
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