2011-2012 University of California - Irvine Application Thread

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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RySerr21 said:
yea, its a joke. Just grit your teeth, do your time, and never look back. youll be so happy to be done with first two years that while you will feel bad about the incoming classes who will suffer from the new changes (whatever they may be), you won't have the energy to do anything about it b/c you know its fruitless and you have a whole new set of issues to deal with during 3rd and 4th year!
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The first two years of med school aren't something to "grit your teeth through". If you enjoy learning about science and medicine, they're immensely satisfying and inspiring. Every day your understanding of the body's mechanics/elegance clarifies. Very very very cool.

I think we can say there are two purposes for the ms1-2: to crush step1, and to become a good physician.

Of the 16 or so people in my class who got the award in basic science excellence last year, only 2 or 3 of them weren't consistent class go-ers. You can argue that doing well on UCI's tests doesn't correlate with doing well on standardized tests, but the r-squared value for the physio shelf score was just about 1 when they plotted overall class grades versus shelf score. You can also say that correlation doesn't equal causation, but what support do you have for your viewpoint other than your own person experience? And you didn't attend class last year so you don't know if it would have helped. The high correlation between shelf and UCI grades seems to be the only evidence in the issue.

You, as a third year medical student, could say that we should be focusing on how to become better physicians in the first two years. But then it's basically your (and granted, most of SDN's) opinion versus the opinion of senior faculty and physicians of a medical school. The physicians at UCI seem to think that attending class will make us better doctors. Some of the students at UCI disagree. I'll trust the opinion of physicians on what makes a good physician.
 
coloredcrayons said:
You, as a third year medical student, could say that we should be focusing on how to become better physicians in the first two years. But then it's basically your (and granted, most of SDN's) opinion versus the opinion of senior faculty and physicians of a medical school. The physicians at UCI seem to think that attending class will make us better doctors. Some of the students at UCI disagree. I'll trust the opinion of physicians on what makes a good physician.
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I thought they were considering this because some law says they have to?
 
coloredcrayons said:
The first two years of med school aren't something to "grit your teeth through". If you enjoy learning about science and medicine, they're immensely satisfying and inspiring. Every day your understanding of the body's mechanics/elegance clarifies. Very very very cool.
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uhh, what? My comment about gritting your teeth had nothing to do with disliking the science and medicine that we are learning. The material that we were learning is what kept me going. What you wrote though would make for a nice, albeit corny, personal statement.

coloredcrayons said:
I think we can say there are two purposes for the ms1-2: to crush step1, and to become a good physician.

Of the 16 or so people in my class who got the award in basic science excellence last year, only 2 or 3 of them weren't consistent class go-ers. You can argue that doing well on UCI's tests doesn't correlate with doing well on standardized tests, but the r-squared value for the physio shelf score was just about 1 when they plotted overall class grades versus shelf score. You can also say that correlation doesn't equal causation, but what support do you have for your viewpoint other than your own person experience? And you didn't attend class last year so you don't know if it would have helped. The high correlation between shelf and UCI grades seems to be the only evidence in the issue.
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😕😕 I'm not trying to prove that skipping out on class is better than going to class. My viewpoint is that you can not force people to learn a certain way, that is all.

I DID attend class. I didn't just show up the first day of MS1 and say "Alright guys see you later." I went to class for the first half of the first year. I realized what I was doing was not working for me, so I changed it. Again, this is my preference. I stopped going to class and I had more free time, I was learning more material at a faster pace, I was happier and I was doing better in school. The administration (or whoever is making that mandatory rule) should not take away the student's ability to study the best way that he/she knows how.

coloredcrayons said:
You, as a third year medical student, could say that we should be focusing on how to become better physicians in the first two years. But then it's basically your (and granted, most of SDN's) opinion versus the opinion of senior faculty and physicians of a medical school. The physicians at UCI seem to think that attending class will make us better doctors. Some of the students at UCI disagree. I'll trust the opinion of physicians on what makes a good physician.
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Where did they get the idea that attending lecture = better physician? What is it about passively sitting in a lecture hall that is going to make me an outstanding doctor? I mean honestly, think about it. It doesn't make any sense. Its not as if you arent learning the material if you study at home. I mean cmon, they record the lectures and they give you the powerpoints. It is almost identical to sitting in a lecture hall. Except that instead of a lecture at a hall its at a place of MY choice. A place that I will be more comfortable at, surrounded by people and things that I think know will help me learn better. And it will be at an hour that I choose to study, not an hour that may or may not be convenient for me! You could argue that you if you arent in attendance then you can not ask a question at that exact moment in time that you have it. But you could always take 30 seconds to write an email and ask that very same question that you would have asked during class.

There is much more to being a good physician than what you learn in the first two years. In fact, I would say that you don't really learn much at all about what it is to be a good physician during the first two years (spare yourself the time and please don't tell me that CF prepares you for how to be a good physician). You'll figure that out pretty damn quickly when you step in to the hospital and have no idea what you are supposed to be doing. Just like everyone before you, you are going to be fresh out of the Step 1 feeling pretty damn good about yourself, thinking "Man I know a lot of stuff right now!." And you will know a lot of stuff, and its a great accomplishment and you should be proud of it. But I promise you when you take your first step into the hospital, when you run your first code blue, when you are the one who explains to the would-be mother that she just lost her 3rd pregnancy, when you actually have the responsibility for the care of the life of another human being....you will think to yourself, "What the hell did I learn the first two years because it seems as if I know absolutely nothing about patient care." But thats okay, because that is what third year is all about, and by the end you will know exactly how to handle each of those situations...situations that no book or powerpoint or lecture could possibly begin preparing you for.

The purpose of the first two years is to develop a solid foundation of the basic sciences. You must have this foundation in order to later (in the 3rd year and beyond) learn the practical skills that will make you an outstanding physician. Your patients will not care how you obtained your medical knowledge, whether it is by video or by lecture or by reading a textbook...as long as you know it. And nobody knows how I learn better than myself, so I should be the one to decided how I do it.

Something that might be cool to do would be to ask a physician that you respect "When/where do you think you learned the skills that make you a great doctor?" Nobody is going to tell you that it was the first two years of medical school.
 
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nadaba said:
I thought they were considering this because some law says they have to?
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Minimoo sid that they actively sought out for the law's clarification. I'm assuming they did so because they wanted students to attend classes.

Serr.. You basically expounded on your own personal experience and added the "learn at your own speed" argument. I think I already addressed those issues by talking about looking at class performance and class attendance correlations.

And your previous posts sure didn't sound like you relished the science of the first two years (even though you were learning at your own speed)
 
RySerr21 said:
yea, its a joke. Just grit your teeth, do your time, and never look back. youll be so happy to be done with first two years that while you will feel bad about the incoming classes who will suffer from the new changes (whatever they may be), you won't have the energy to do anything about it b/c you know its fruitless and you have a whole new set of issues to deal with during 3rd and 4th year!
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Ryserr.. Since (s)he's a first year and could choose to attend lecture or not this year, I assumed that you were referring to being happy with finishing the first two years because (it sounds like) you didn't find them that enjoyable.
 
coloredcrayons said:
Ryserr.. Since (s)he's a first year and could choose to attend lecture or not this year, I assumed that you were referring to being happy with finishing the first two years because (it sounds like) you didn't find them that enjoyable.
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Sorry if I wasn't clear. I did find the material enjoyable (for the most part). The frustration and lack of energy was was referring to dealing with administrative issues. And altho enjoyable, the first two years are long and hard. You will be glad it is over and ready to move on by the end.
 
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coloredcrayons said:
Minimoo sid that they actively sought out for the law's clarification. I'm assuming they did so because they wanted students to attend classes.

Serr.. You basically expounded on your own personal experience and added the "learn at your own speed" argument. I think I already addressed those issues by talking about looking at class performance and class attendance correlations.

And your previous posts sure didn't sound like you relished the science of the first two years (even though you were learning at your own speed)
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i wrote a post and it got deleted but i do not care to rewrite it. You seem to really be proud of your classes correlation with attendance and standardized test scores. If only standardized tests actually predicted clinical skills.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21099388

this is also an interesting article on the usefulness of traditional lecture. I realize its in the international journal of therapeutic massage and bodywork, but food for thought nonetheless.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22211152
 
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Linette said:
you got a call today???

congrats thats amazing
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Dr. Peterson definitely goes out of her way to give the good news to applicants. I think i remember people posting about getting calls during the weekend last year.

Congrats on your acceptance🙂
 
coloredcrayons said:
Dr. Peterson definitely goes out of her way to give the good news to applicants. I think i remember people posting about getting calls during the weekend last year.

Congrats on your acceptance🙂
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Yeah, Dr. Peterson is awesome! She's easily one of my favorite admissions deans!
 
Thanks, everyone! Yeah, Dr. Peterson was great, and it seems like she definitely goes out of her way to welcome new students 🙂 Still can't believe I got in! :soexcited:

3191964 said:
when did you interview?
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I interviewed on 11/29
 
KeepOnSwimmin said:
Thanks, everyone! Yeah, Dr. Peterson was great, and it seems like she definitely goes out of her way to welcome new students 🙂 Still can't believe I got in! :soexcited:



I interviewed on 11/29
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Congrats! 🙂
 
Checked my status online - Accepted!!! No email notification though
YAAAYY!
 
Interviewed 11/29, got the acceptance call 1/16!! A dream come true
 
I just got back from Nicaragua and checked my voicemail. ACCEPTED 🙂
 
Have there been any post-interview rejections or are you either accepted or put on the alternate list?
 
Just FYI, they decided to add one more interview date (April 20).
 
So glad to hear this. I am really crossing my fingers. I'd love to go to UCI...
 
Bza said:
Just FYI, they decided to add one more interview date (April 20).
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That's really great news. My app is now complete (I just got the secondary last week).

:xf: for an interview
 
Been waiting since summer for an II. On the alternate interview list...Does anybody know if UCI is receptive towards letters of interests or updates???

and Congrats and Good luck to those that have II and have been accepted!
 
PolyDancer said:
Been waiting since summer for an II. On the alternate interview list...Does anybody know if UCI is receptive towards letters of interests or updates???

and Congrats and Good luck to those that have II and have been accepted!
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Hey PolyDancer!

I would say that UCI is incredibly receptive to letters of interest/updates. There are more than a few examples of applicants getting interviews(and subsequently being accepted) thanks to their persistence. The best example would be alwaysaangel(I hope she doesn't mind me linking to her MDApps🙂). She was incredibly persistent, and in the end, Dr. Peterson mentioned that it was due in large part to her determination that she was interviewed and accepted.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions about Irvine, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck! :luck:
 
Ironclad said:
Hey PolyDancer!

I would say that UCI is incredibly receptive to letters of interest/updates. There are more than a few examples of applicants getting interviews(and subsequently being accepted) thanks to their persistence. The best example would be alwaysaangel(I hope she doesn't mind me linking to her MDApps🙂). She was incredibly persistent, and in the end, Dr. Peterson mentioned that it was due in large part to her determination that she was interviewed and accepted.
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👍👍👍 I agree.

Goooooood Luck to any SDNer interviewing tmw! You'll probably be interviewing with an MS1, and for most of them, it'll be their first time! So they might be just as nervous as you are : )
 
Ironclad said:
Hey PolyDancer!

I would say that UCI is incredibly receptive to letters of interest/updates. There are more than a few examples of applicants getting interviews(and subsequently being accepted) thanks to their persistence. The best example would be alwaysaangel(I hope she doesn't mind me linking to her MDApps🙂). She was incredibly persistent, and in the end, Dr. Peterson mentioned that it was due in large part to her determination that she was interviewed and accepted.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions about Irvine, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck! :luck:
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Thank you so much! =) My heart is definitely invested in this school. Good luck to you!
 
Ironclad said:
Hey PolyDancer!

I would say that UCI is incredibly receptive to letters of interest/updates. There are more than a few examples of applicants getting interviews(and subsequently being accepted) thanks to their persistence. The best example would be alwaysaangel(I hope she doesn't mind me linking to her MDApps🙂). She was incredibly persistent, and in the end, Dr. Peterson mentioned that it was due in large part to her determination that she was interviewed and accepted.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions about Irvine, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck! :luck:
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👍 I wrote a combined update letter/LOI to UCI and received my interview invite one week later 🙂. I also wrote a post-interview LOI. But my acceptance letter was dated 2 days after I had emailed the letter, so I'm not sure if they even read it.
 
PolyDancer said:
Thank you so much! =) My heart is definitely invested in this school. Good luck to you!
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You're welcome! 🙂

Glad to hear that your heart is in it. I'm sure it will shine through in your letter. Get it written and send it straight to them! Good luck with it all, and let us know what comes of it! :luck:

Bza said:
👍 I wrote a combined update letter/LOI to UCI and received my interview invite one week later 🙂. I also wrote a post-interview LOI. But my acceptance letter was dated 2 days after I had emailed the letter, so I'm not sure if they even read it.
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coloredcrayons said:
👍👍👍 I agree.

Goooooood Luck to any SDNer interviewing tmw! You'll probably be interviewing with an MS1, and for most of them, it'll be their first time! So they might be just as nervous as you are : )
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Awesome, thanks for the input Bza and coloredcrayons. Bza, your experiences are especially great to hear. It just shows that if you're really interested in a school, and you let them know that, they'll more often than not respond in kind.

I feel like UCI has a very human approach to the application process. Not to say that other schools don't, but all of my interactions with the admissions staff(and especially Dr. Peterson) have shown me that the people in the admissions department really care about everyone on the other side of those status pages. What other admissions dean tells you to come and speak to her if your interview didn't go well/how you expected to try and work things out or calls accepted students on a holiday?

Good luck to everyone applying! Hang in there, and if you really love UCI and fit well with the school and its mission, don't hesitate to let them know one way or another. :luck:

P.S. Please take my advice with a grain of salt. While I was a UCI undergrad and had some experience with admissions, any real questions should most certainly be directed to our awesome anteater med students who have been so kind to frequent this thread(thanks for everything). Unless of course you want to ask about my time and experiences at UCI, which I'm happy to discuss.
 
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How many hours of lecture does UCI have per day for MS1 and MS2 students?
 
PolyDancer said:
Been waiting since summer for an II. On the alternate interview list...Does anybody know if UCI is receptive towards letters of interests or updates???

and Congrats and Good luck to those that have II and have been accepted!
Click to expand...

So, my "pending" status next to the interview box has disappeared!! Now it doesn't even have any red writing and the box is completely empty. Has this happened to anybody else? I am hoping this is not bad news......eek...
 
PolyDancer said:
So, my "pending" status next to the interview box has disappeared!! Now it doesn't even have any red writing and the box is completely empty. Has this happened to anybody else? I am hoping this is not bad news......eek...
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Same here. The best thing seems to be to simply wait it out. :shrug:
 
Maybe they're in the middle of updating your status? I still have my 3 month old "Under Review" status.
 
Med22 said:
How many hours of lecture does UCI have per day for MS1 and MS2 students?
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First years have 4-5 hours a day. Days usually start at 8 or 9 and go till 12 or 2 (lunch from 12-1).

Second years in general have less. Alot less days that start at 8, but we have pathology lecture and small groups that go till 330 like 2-3 times a week.
 
Magic 2688 said:
I got an invite for April 20th. So excited :laugh:
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Congrats! :luck:

coloredcrayons said:
First years have 4-5 hours a day. Days usually start at 8 or 9 and go till 12 or 2 (lunch from 12-1).
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Just to add about first year: we also have Clinical Foundations once almost every week (1-5pm) where we learn H&Ps on standardized patients. Sometimes we'll also have ultrasound sessions, small group, anatomy review sessions occasionally in the afternoons (actual anatomy dissection is in the mornings though). But yes, our typical pure lecture days are usually 8 or 9 to 12.
 
There was an applicant smoking a cigarette DURING his interview today..

...

..For those of you who haven't visited yet, DON'T SMOKE DURING THE INTERVIEW DAY!!!

Don't think I've ever seen anything that unprofessional from an applicant.
 
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