2011-2012 University of Texas - San Antonio Application Thread

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Just interviewed there. Absolutely loved the place. The students seemed so darn happy. And thats what is the most important thing. Met a lot of students who had picked San antonio over bigger names like southwestern. Some of the positives of the school in my opinion:

1) No competition amongst students. Everyone helps each other, share notes and what not.
2) Free clinics run by med students.
3) There is this other underpriviledged town down south (I forgot the name of the town...Harlinger perhaps?) But if you choose to do a rotation there, you will get a lot of hands on training since the hospital there doesn't have many residents. So, most of the med students who had done that, were the wingmen of the physicians.
4) The faculty seemed really nice. I especially noted how Dr. Jones interacted with the already medical students. He knew many of them by name and it seemed apparent that he was accessible to all students.
5) Student trips (which ur actually paid for as I understood...Not sure though) to Haiti and other parts of the world. If you want to go abroad and practice medicine, you can do it easily.

6) New awesome curriculum following some university in California (UCLA ? I've forgotten which school) But, the new curriculum will give more time to study for the USMLE. It will integrate the sciences with the pathology (So, for example if you had a kidney topic, week 1 you'd learn whats normal with the kidneys, week 2 you'd learn about the diseases (this way you can easily make the connection with the disease, something more oriented towards the USMLE). And then ofcourse you'd be tested immediately after as well (And the new testing format is going to be such that they are going to be marathon tests which will incorporate all subjects. Like one really long test where you get biochem, anatomy, physiology etc all in one test (sort of like the USMLE).

Cons in my opinion:

1) I wasn't too impressed with the buildings itself. I guess I'm used to looking at the Houston medical center where everything is very state of the art and modern. And coming from Rice doesn't help much considering how beautiful the Rice campus is. Having said that, San antonio however is building many new research facilies and teaching facilities. And ofcourse they are renovating a lot of the other things.

2) As far as reputation is concerned, I think they are still a little behind southwestern and Baylor. I'm not sure how much that comes into play when it comes down to getting a residency. The MS4 I interviewed with, her husband who is also at UTHSCSA, has interviews at top schools like harvard in radiology for residency programs. So, she said that in the end its primarily the USMLE scores that matter. But, I'm sure one wouldn't treat a harvard student the same as a UTHSCSA student with the same USMLE scores. So, I'm not sure how UTHSCSA vs Baylor or vs southwestern would go considering we would be in direct competition with those guys for residency spots within texas.

But yea, all in all an extremely amazing school. It will prepare you very well for becoming a physician. But in the end, it all comes down to how much time and effort your willing to personally put in into succeeding. Any medical school will only provide the tools, but they won't grab your hand and take you all the way.

Good luck everyone 🙂 I hope I get in 🙂 I really loved the school.
 
cyanide12345678 said:
Just interviewed there. Absolutely loved the place. The students seemed so darn happy. And thats what is the most important thing. Met a lot of students who had picked San antonio over bigger names like southwestern. Some of the positives of the school in my opinion:

1) No competition amongst students. Everyone helps each other, share notes and what not.
2) Free clinics run by med students.
3) There is this other underpriviledged town down south (I forgot the name of the town...Harlinger perhaps?) But if you choose to do a rotation there, you will get a lot of hands on training since the hospital there doesn't have many residents. So, most of the med students who had done that, were the wingmen of the physicians.
4) The faculty seemed really nice. I especially noted how Dr. Jones interacted with the already medical students. He knew many of them by name and it seemed apparent that he was accessible to all students.
5) Student trips (which ur actually paid for as I understood...Not sure though) to Haiti and other parts of the world. If you want to go abroad and practice medicine, you can do it easily.

6) New awesome curriculum following some university in California (UCLA ? I've forgotten which school) But, the new curriculum will give more time to study for the USMLE. It will integrate the sciences with the pathology (So, for example if you had a kidney topic, week 1 you'd learn whats normal with the kidneys, week 2 you'd learn about the diseases (this way you can easily make the connection with the disease, something more oriented towards the USMLE). And then ofcourse you'd be tested immediately after as well (And the new testing format is going to be such that they are going to be marathon tests which will incorporate all subjects. Like one really long test where you get biochem, anatomy, physiology etc all in one test (sort of like the USMLE).

Cons in my opinion:

1) I wasn't too impressed with the buildings itself. I guess I'm used to looking at the Houston medical center where everything is very state of the art and modern. And coming from Rice doesn't help much considering how beautiful the Rice campus is. Having said that, San antonio however is building many new research facilies and teaching facilities. And ofcourse they are renovating a lot of the other things.

2) As far as reputation is concerned, I think they are still a little behind southwestern and Baylor. I'm not sure how much that comes into play when it comes down to getting a residency. The MS4 I interviewed with, her husband who is also at UTHSCSA, has interviews at top schools like harvard in radiology for residency programs. So, she said that in the end its primarily the USMLE scores that matter. But, I'm sure one wouldn't treat a harvard student the same as a UTHSCSA student with the same USMLE scores. So, I'm not sure how UTHSCSA vs Baylor or vs southwestern would go considering we would be in direct competition with those guys for residency spots within texas.

But yea, all in all an extremely amazing school. It will prepare you very well for becoming a physician. But in the end, it all comes down to how much time and effort your willing to personally put in into succeeding. Any medical school will only provide the tools, but they won't grab your hand and take you all the way.

Good luck everyone 🙂 I hope I get in 🙂 I really loved the school.
Click to expand...

This pretty much mirrors my feelings on UTHSCSA as well. Really loved the place too- best of luck to you :luck:
 
Just to reiterate... Update letters are extremely helpful in getting interviews. Take note that I am the third MS1 on this thread to say this. An update letter is what led to my acceptance after match day.
 
Ursa said:
Just to reiterate... Update letters are extremely helpful in getting interviews. Take note that I am the third MS1 on this thread to say this. An update letter is what led to my acceptance after match day.
Click to expand...

If I don't hear back from San Antonio this week, I might go ahead and draft an update letter over the weekend.

I wasn't too worried before, but now people who were complete after me have been picking up interviews. I would really love an opportunity to interview here. 🙂
 
I will be interviewing @ UTHSCSA, this is my first interview and am pretty nervous about it but very excited too. Seems like a great school!
Anyone else going to interview Monday??
 
Whatyousay said:
If I don't hear back from San Antonio this week, I might go ahead and draft an update letter over the weekend.

I wasn't too worried before, but now people who were complete after me have been picking up interviews. I would really love an opportunity to interview here. 🙂
Click to expand...

I was thinking about doing the same
 
anyone gotten an interview here with a 26-27? Im considering if i should retake my mcat (will be 4th time). i do have a 4.0 smp gpa by the way.
 
I'm thinking I might start to draft an update letter also. What should be things that are put in it considering my grades haven't changed since I submitted? Things like progress in research and EC's? And of course an interest in the school..?
 
Has UTHSCSA shown up on anyone's rank list yet?
 
This place still sending out interview invites? I'm 33 MCAT ~3.9 GPA with lots of volunteering and several unique healthcare experiences. I don't understand why I haven't heard from UTSA. Every other Texas school seemed to like me....

I really want to interview here. I heard great things.
 
😴
MusicalHenry said:
This place still sending out interview invites? I'm 33 MCAT ~3.9 GPA with lots of volunteering and several unique healthcare experiences. I don't understand why I haven't heard from UTSA. Every other Texas school seemed to like me....

I really want to interview here. I heard great things.
Click to expand...

Similar boat here. Maybe they're saving us for last! :xf:
 
MusicalHenry said:
This place still sending out interview invites? I'm 33 MCAT ~3.9 GPA with lots of volunteering and several unique healthcare experiences. I don't understand why I haven't heard from UTSA. Every other Texas school seemed to like me....

I really want to interview here. I heard great things.
Click to expand...

alienwares said:
😴

Similar boat here. Maybe they're saving us for last! :xf:
Click to expand...

Laplace said:
+1
Click to expand...

I knew I should have submitted earlier.
 
Yeah this is kind of weird. There are a lot of really qualified applicants that haven't gotten an interview here. Seems really odd considering they got the exact same information as UTH and UTMB and Paul L Foster.
 
Just because you got an interview at one Texas school doesn't mean you are entitled to the rest. Different schools look for different things.
 
therunner12 said:
Actually, San Antonio released a powerpoint that listed in detail how they ranked applicants.

I think it was posted here.
Click to expand...

i remember seeing that. i was referring to the other schools since they are more discreet on what they look for.
 
GandalfTheWhite said:
anyone gotten an interview here with a 26-27? Im considering if i should retake my mcat (will be 4th time). i do have a 4.0 smp gpa by the way.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine interviewed here last year in November with a 27/4.0. It isn't over til it's over :luck:
 
therunner12 said:
Just because you got an interview at one Texas school doesn't mean you are entitled to the rest. Different schools look for different things.
Click to expand...

I know man, but I think I have a good chunk everything. Lots of volunteering, lots of healthcare experience in different settings, lots of leadership. And I applied super early...sometime in June. I know some people here at my school who have barely done any extra-curricular stuff and have numbers lower than mine and have gotten an interview. Oh yeah, I'm also Hispanic, I thought UTSA loved that.

UTSA was actually one of my pre-visit top choices so I REALLY want to check it out. Should I write/call?
 
MusicalHenry said:
I know man, but I think I have a good chunk everything. Lots of volunteering, lots of healthcare experience in different settings, lots of leadership. And I applied super early...sometime in June. I know some people here at my school who have barely done any extra-curricular stuff and have numbers lower than mine and have gotten an interview. Oh yeah, I'm also Hispanic, I thought UTSA loved that.

UTSA was actually one of my pre-visit top choices so I REALLY want to check it out. Should I write/call?
Click to expand...

I'm certain you will get one soon.
 
MusicalHenry said:
This place still sending out interview invites? I'm 33 MCAT ~3.9 GPA with lots of volunteering and several unique healthcare experiences. I don't understand why I haven't heard from UTSA. Every other Texas school seemed to like me....

I really want to interview here. I heard great things.
Click to expand...

When did your TMDSAS get transmitted? Thats really odd btw. I would send an update letter to them.
 
MusicalHenry said:
This place still sending out interview invites? I'm 33 MCAT ~3.9 GPA with lots of volunteering and several unique healthcare experiences. I don't understand why I haven't heard from UTSA. Every other Texas school seemed to like me....

I really want to interview here. I heard great things.
Click to expand...

i wouldnt worry too much yet, i have almost identical stats and UTSA was the absolute last schools i heard from. I had given up on them and then it just came as a surprise one day
 
Got an invite for November 7th! Thank you god of interviews ! I sent a letter of intent last week. Maybe that helped
 
BMEN said:
Got an invite for November 7th! Thank you god of interviews ! I sent a letter of intent last week. Maybe that helped
Click to expand...

Congratulations.

One thing...

A letter of intent is a letter saying that you intend on attending their school if accepted. I don't think you sent that.
 
BMEN said:
Got an invite for November 7th! Thank you god of interviews ! I sent a letter of intent last week. Maybe that helped
Click to expand...

Congrats :highfive:

therunner12 said:
Congratulations.

One thing...

A letter of intent is a letter saying that you intend on attending their school if accepted. I don't think you sent that.
Click to expand...

I interpreted LOI to mean Letter of Interest, not Letter of Intent. Could be wrong though...
 
therunner12 said:
Congratulations.

One thing...

A letter of intent is a letter saying that you intend on attending their school if accepted. I don't think you sent that.
Click to expand...

interest. Thanks for catching that
 
I have written a letter of interest but am confused who to send it to. Should it be addressed to Dr. Jones or just a general "To Whom it May Concern?"
 
BMEN said:
interest. Thanks for catching that
Click to expand...

asrikrishnan said:
I have written a letter of interest but am confused who to send it to. Should it be addressed to Dr. Jones or just a general "To Whom it May Concern?"
Click to expand...

im holding off on writing mine till mid to late october. if you send one at this point, without updates or significant activities, I would think it would carry little weight. allow some time to pass (easier said than done).
 
This thread has been quiet for a bit... any news of interview invites, OOS acceptances, etc??

I sent a update a week ago, as I had summer courses and a new job to update them with. I hope it has an effect.

Does anyone know who they modelled their new curriculum after? Or have you heard any faculty/student reactions to it?
 
nmed20 said:
This thread has been quiet for a bit... any news of interview invites, OOS acceptances, etc??

I sent a update a week ago, as I had summer courses and a new job to update them with. I hope it has an effect.

Does anyone know who they modelled their new curriculum after? Or have you heard any faculty/student reactions to it?
Click to expand...

ive heard really random ones like utmb(minus the pbl), bcm, and even the UCs.

but suffice it to say that most likely they want to move away from the traditional 8-5 schedule towards an integrated one with less lecture and more independent learning. probably an 8-12 schedule is the consensus.
 
GandalfTheWhite said:
ive heard really random ones like utmb(minus the pbl), bcm, and even the UCs.

but suffice it to say that most likely they want to move away from the traditional 8-5 schedule towards an integrated one with less lecture and more independent learning. probably an 8-12 schedule is the consensus.
Click to expand...

they're also changing the curriculum, moving towards one modeled after UCLA I think they said.
 
I have heard that San Antonio isn't too fond of younger applicants.. can any current students verify this?
 
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