2011-2012 Virginia Commonwealth University Application Thread

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How late does the interview season run for VCU if I have not received an interview yet but completed a secondary, is there still a chance here? Secondary received and completed in October.
 
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No email for me 🙁 Time to prepare for this to happen all over again in March!

hokie2012 said:
If we are still waiting, do you think it would be ok to call and ask what they think our chances are? Has anyone tried to do that?
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I don't think it would be worth it to call. If you're still on hold, you're still in the running to be accepted on March 16. We might just have slightly lower priority scores than what they were accepting today (hopefully!)
 
Ismet said:
No email for me 🙁 Time to prepare for this to happen all over again in March!



I don't think it would be worth it to call. If you're still on hold, you're still in the running to be accepted on March 16. We might just have slightly lower priority scores than what they were accepting today (hopefully!)
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+1 most likely the case.
 
MedBound1 said:
How late does the interview season run for VCU if I have not received an interview yet but completed a secondary, is there still a chance here? Secondary received and completed in October.
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Just got an invite to interview a couple weeks ago. Hang in there.
 
Interviewed 12/1 and still waiting. My friend interviewed the same day as me and he got in today while Im stuck waiting. But Im starting to feel better after seeing other ppl's reactions about not getting in this round. Kinda makes me feel like all hope isnt yet lost
 
Does anyone know when orientation week is? I saw that it was the first/second week of August last year, but I have not been able to find a calendar on the MCV website.

Thanks!
 
Has anyone applied to the fmstat program. If so do you know when they release decisions or if anyone has gotten in?
 
Are there any M3s or M4s that could comment on the clinical years at MCV? What are the pros and cons of the those years at this school?
 
Yes orientation begins Aug 6th and lasts that entire week and the first day of class is Aug 13th.
 
I just interviewed on Feb 2nd and if I understood correctly they are suppose to meet this Monday to talk about those who interviewed. Will we find out what our priority score is Tuesday?
 
So with VCU should you assume your not getting in if you haven't gotten an acceptance more than 4 months after you interviewed? I interviewed October 6th, my file was not complete until October 31st, so I was not included in the first round of acceptances. Since that time, as you all know, I have not heard anything and there has been two more acceptance dates. After the last acceptance date in March (which I am not longer holding out for 🙁) - how do acceptances proceed? Should we assume that most of the class in filled by the March date or is there still a lot of movement on the list from March-may? If anyone has any knowledge of what has happened in previous years, that would help! Thanks....
 
empowmd said:
So with VCU should you assume your not getting in if you haven't gotten an acceptance more than 4 months after you interviewed? I interviewed October 6th, my file was not complete until October 31st, so I was not included in the first round of acceptances. Since that time, as you all know, I have not heard anything and there has been two more acceptance dates. After the last acceptance date in March (which I am not longer holding out for 🙁) - how do acceptances proceed? Should we assume that most of the class in filled by the March date or is there still a lot of movement on the list from March-may? If anyone has any knowledge of what has happened in previous years, that would help! Thanks....
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There is going to be a lot of movement. A significant amount of individuals will be accepted the next acceptance date and even more will be accepted from the wait list. Based on what I recall 70 acceptances go out on an acceptance date and approximately 120 from the wait list. Don't give up and stay strong !
 
hey guys forgot to say that I got accepted last week too! I was so surprised because the turnaround was 1 week since my interview... Just got caught it up in it all. I joined the facebook group but in case some of you haven't or don't want to join it, i work @ MCV now so if ya have any questions about Richmond feel free to PM me! And good luck to everyone who's still waiting- don't lose hope!!
 
Will be withdrawing from my interview here (scheduled 2/28). Hope one of you get it!
 
Terplove said:
Hey guys, did anyone interview this past week and get a "hold" status update? I remember Dr. W-C said that they would try to fit our week into the Feb 1st date but was there supposed to be enough time to get the 'on hold' status? I interviewed this past week but only get a survey status update so I was just wondering if anyone else had gotten the hold one too? Just wondering if we'd know if they even got to us this week or not! Thanks!
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Hey, I'm in the same boat and received a hold status today. Good luck!
 
Australia24 said:
Has anyone applied to the fmstat program. If so do you know when they release decisions or if anyone has gotten in?
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I did apply for fmSTAT. Below are the timeline:
11/6: submitted secondary
12/2: invited for interview
12/5: interviewed for both med school and for fmSTAT track
12/15: accepted to VCU SOM
12/23: accepted to fmSTAT

The timing was such wonderful double news in time for Xmas -- I'm so grateful and honored!

VCU is my top choice and thus, I share your anxiety while waiting to hear from the one you so desire. Please remember as long as you don't get rejected, VCU is still holding you in high esteem. It's a fair chance one day she may extend her hands to you. Happy Valentine to everyone 🙂!
 
azhrei said:
Are there any M3s or M4s that could comment on the clinical years at MCV? What are the pros and cons of the those years at this school?
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I'm not a med student yet, but would like to relay the stories VCU M3 & M4 shared with us during the campus tour on my 12/5 interview. The wonderful M2 tour guide took us to the on-call section in the hospital. My first time ever been in this section, although I've been volunteering and observing in hospitals for 3 years. From my imagination, I thought I would witness exhausted and cranky students with saggy eyes. Everything was calm as we slowly streamed into the hallways. One thing I have to mention is my fellow interviewees on the 12/5 day were very attentive and cordial although our group was a bit large (about 15 people). We passed by the shower rooms, the neat individual rooms, and reached the last door at the end of the hallway. As I entered the room, there were 1 student on the computer at the end near the wall, 1 sitting on a high chair with a book, and 2 sitting and chatting up on a sofa. I tried to validate my earlier imagination, but to my elations, none of these students showed signs of being worn down. The three students (2 ladies were M3, one on surgery rotation and the other on ped rotation, and one guy was M4 doing a trauma rotation) were happily talking to us. We didn't ask them many questions but it seemed like they read our minds. They told us about their days. The guy on trauma rotation was actually on his 12th hour mark on-call already. With a home-made sandwich on his hand, he was relaxed and happy to share with us his routines. The other two ladies told us how they were at first scared about the rotations, etc. but once they were onboard, it turned out to be fun. Their easy laughters and warm attitude left a big impression in me.

I am not good with recalling words as I have episodic memories like frames of pictures which connect to how I felt at that time. But the chance encounter with these wonderful and very caring VCU students spending time to help us get to know the program & the school instead of choosing to rest and enjoy their breaks during the demanding on-call rotations was one of those human factors which make me so awestruck and grateful for VCU acceptance. In my school days, among students who are studious and devoting to their study, I notice 2 major types: one is happy to learn & dig more and share with others while the other is stressed out (but still does quite well) and kept to themselves. I think VCU nutures its students to learn and have fun at it, which I think is probably the best way to learn and appreciate the depth and application scope of the knowledge being presented.

In my short encounter with students in the on-call section of the hospital, I didn't see any cons of VCU rotations but got to realize the single most meaningful pros of the school is to make students happy to learn instead of getting stressed and worn out. Please note VCU Step 1 and Step 2 scores are quite respectable (and vow for their 98% residency matching rate in year 2011). So, in my opinion, both the training process and the results speak for themselves.

I don't know why I write this long 🙂, but am sorry if I waste your time and didn't answer your questions concisely.
 
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for those of you who have been accepted, what do you think set you apart? what is the best advice you have for interviewing?

were your interviews laid back or difficult questions?
 
Soooo I interviewed on 2/1/12 and just got a status update saying that they placed me on Hold. I thought I wouldn't hear back until March 16th, so I am a little confused. Do you guys think this means wait list? Thanks for the input!!
 
nu2142 said:
Soooo I interviewed on 2/1/12 and just got a status update saying that they placed me on Hold. I thought I wouldn't hear back until March 16th, so I am a little confused. Do you guys think this means wait list? Thanks for the input!!
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Everybody gets placed on hold once their interviewer has presented you to the committee. You're still on track for a possible acceptance on March 16th.
 
nu2142 said:
Soooo I interviewed on 2/1/12 and just got a status update saying that they placed me on Hold. I thought I wouldn't hear back until March 16th, so I am a little confused. Do you guys think this means wait list? Thanks for the input!!
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I believe it means that the committee has met and discussed your file already. They've already calculated your score. They won't release invitations to anyone until the next date.
 
Recently presented at The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine conference:

Progress to Date

116 fmSTAT applications submitted
36 Interviews scheduled


Of those not interviewed
  • Some were not approved by the subcommittee or had incomplete applications
  • Some got a low score on final file review
  • A few were referred to the general pool for School of Medicine interviews

Of the candidates interviewed
  • Several were not considered for an fmSTAT interview
  • Most ranked medium to high in file review
  • We delineated in-state v. out-of-state
  • We differentiated between those we wanted to offer positions and those whom we wanted to place on a waiting list
To date
  • 9 have accepted fmSTAT offers and have paid their fees
  • 4 were offered positions but have elected to go elsewhere
  • 1 is pending based on application
  • We anticipate interviewing a few candidates who learned of the program or have determined an interest outside of the application mechanism in place.
 
How long after the interview does it usually take before you're put on hold again? I've still got the survey status.
 
Is this school receptive to letter of interests if you're on pre-interview hold? I really want to interview here.
 
DaTruMD said:
Is this school receptive to letter of interests if you're on pre-interview hold? I really want to interview here.
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Umm... why is your status "Medical Student" if you're still waiting on interviews to get into medical school?

As for your question, I'm not sure whether or not they are but at this point, it can't possible hurt. I doubt they are giving out (m)any more interview slots by this time of the cycle.
 
DaTruMD said:
Is this school receptive to letter of interests if you're on pre-interview hold? I really want to interview here.
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On the application login page:
01/17/2012
VCU School of Medicine is no longer accepting letters of interest unless it shares significant changes in your profile such as a publication or new grades which indicate a major change in your GPA.
 
music2doc said:
Umm... why is your status "Medical Student" if you're still waiting on interviews to get into medical school?

As for your question, I'm not sure whether or not they are but at this point, it can't possible hurt. I doubt they are giving out (m)any more interview slots by this time of the cycle.
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I've already been accepted to another school.

Thanks.
 
ywlke said:
On the application login page:
01/17/2012
VCU School of Medicine is no longer accepting letters of interest unless it shares significant changes in your profile such as a publication or new grades which indicate a major change in your GPA.
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Thanks!
 
in motion said:
for those of you who have been accepted, what do you think set you apart? what is the best advice you have for interviewing?

were your interviews laid back or difficult questions?
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Welcome to the forum! 🙂

Before my interview date, I read....all pages of the thread backward (latest posts first and so on). I remember flodhi1 wrote a few informative and super helpful posts (perhaps in late Nov, early Dec ?) to help others prepare for their VCU interview days. Another participant had a long and grilling interview (not sure about the posting time of this one, perhaps Sept or Oct. post) and shared a helpful post as well.

I shared my interview day via a post on Dec. Others have corrected the wrong info that I got during my interview day and via later email with the admission office (#1: class entering 2012 will not follow the new curriculum; #2: it seems some of the acceptances were also via Post Mail, not just via email).

Now, I don't remember much to add more but you should arrive quite early because parking could be very problematic -- I saw people arrived late (but the Dean was very nice about it). I parked a bit far away and had to ask around to walk back to Sanger Hall. The staff and faculty at VCU are so nice that I don't think you should be worried that they would try to bring you down. Yet, please come prepared (at least read the interview survey questions on SDN for VCU).
 
azhrei said:
Are there any M3s or M4s that could comment on the clinical years at MCV? What are the pros and cons of the those years at this school?
Click to expand...

Current M4 here. The clinical years have been an excellent experience for me. MCV Hospital is a 700+ bed tertiary (read: everyone sends the difficult stuff to you), Level I trauma center (the only one in central VA). The pathology that you see here is amazing. In every rotation, you'll get a variety of outpatient and inpatient experiences. For those students who seek it, there is a lot of autonomy in taking care of patients and you'll get to do a lot of procedures if you show interest. Informal teaching at the bedside and scheduled lectures are very strong here, and specific rotations (OB, Medicine off the top of my head) utilize simulations so that you can practice procedures and exams prior to doing them on real patients. My classmates that have gone to INOVA have said that their experiences have been very strong as well.

As far as cons, I have heard that, starting this year, some students have to go to INOVA for the OB rotation each block because of overcrowding; the school does provide you with housing (I think hotel?) but it can be inconvenient for those who were hoping to stay at MCV. I can think of one rotation that seems pretty weak and does a poor job of preparing you for the shelf (you do have a lot of free time to study on this rotation, however). At any institution, you'll have a few malignant personalities but there's nothing that will ruin your experience. In fact, the administration does a fantastic job in identifying mistreatment of medical students, and they are very proactive in making sure that students enjoy the rotations that they are on.

MCV has been a great experience for me, and you'll definitely have a solid fund of knowledge coming out of this program. Please feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions, and good luck!
 
Are any other applicants attending the Open House here this Saturday? I am (coming in from Philly), and I was wondering if anyone else is/would like to split a hotel room. If any current med students are willing to host me for the night of Friday the 24th, I would REALLY appreciate that too. Please PM me!!
 
Hey everyone,

I just got a second look invite for March 30-31st and I have not been accepted yet since I interviewed February 2nd. Does this mean that I have a very good chance at getting accepted?
 
ilovechemistry said:
Hey everyone,

I just got a second look invite for March 30-31st and I have not been accepted yet since I interviewed February 2nd. Does this mean that I have a very good chance at getting accepted?
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I was invited as well. Not sure if they send it to everyone on hold or just people with a certain priority score.
 
I had my interview in october and i'm still on hold. I haven't received this second look email. Does that mean anything?
 
Oh "May" status, you have cleft my heart in twain. Anyone else waiting pre-interview to hear from VCU?
 
Ismet said:
I was invited as well. Not sure if they send it to everyone on hold or just people with a certain priority score.
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Weird...so some of you who are still on hold are getting 2nd look emails? Any accepted people get invited yet? Seems bizarre that those of us who have been accepted haven't (all) received an invite to the 2nd look event! 😕
 
hey do any of you know what steps we have to take and we have to contact to request a hard copy of an acceptance letter?
 
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