2012-2013 University of California - Irvine Application Thread

[haveli63]

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Does anyone know if they're still sending out interview invites, or have they filled up most of the spots already?

I would like to know this as well. I've been under review since August and am hoping for the best.

 

[williamiv4]

I would like to know this as well. I've been under review since August and am hoping for the best.

To tag onto this, I haven't had the chance to look at last years thread but do they have a history of giving some II to people under review from summer so late into the season?

 

[BlueX]

Can any current student comment on the dual MD/MBA program and ipad-integrated curriculum. Also, any MS3 and MS4s are welcome to chime in on their impressions of the the clinical training and the length at which faculty, staff, and advisors will go to help you prepare for residency applications, interviews, and the matching process. Much appreciated.

I can talk about the clinical years. What specific questions do you have?

 

[LALFL]

It's amazing how UC Irvine has not only the dean, but your interviewers call you after you're accepted! Can't wait for second look 🙂

 

[AllDay24]

What's the next step after an alternate list? Do I email saying I'm interested, send in a letter, or just wait?

 

[sinombre]

What's the next step after an alternate list? Do I email saying I'm interested, send in a letter, or just wait?

When does this school stop interviewing? April? It might be wise to wait until they're almost done with interviews. Unless they start pulling from the waitlist before then, which isn't likely.

 

[jansOri23]

What's the next step after an alternate list? Do I email saying I'm interested, send in a letter, or just wait?

On interview day dr. Peterson said around april or early may..theyll ask alternate listed people whether they want to continue being considered for acceptance.

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[waffles11]

Has anyone heard back from the January 14 interview group yet???

 

[theclem]

For those of you who haven't received interviews yet, is there a "Instructions Interview" tab on the left of the status page?

 

[jaydar]

Has anyone heard back from the January 14 interview group yet???

Yes, I heard back this afternoon! Phone call from Dr. P!

 

[waffles11]

Yes, I heard back this afternoon! Phone call from Dr. P!

Guess I'm on the alternate list 🙁

 

[Goobs]

For those of you who haven't received interviews yet, is there a "Instructions Interview" tab on the left of the status page?

Yeah it's always been there


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[theclem]

Yeah it's always been there


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Is it clickable? I can click on mine, and it says "Congratulations on your interview to the UC Irvine School of Medicine!"...................

 

[manticus]

I have that too and no interview invite. I don't think it means anything.....

 

[Juan Solo]

I got the call today with awesome news!! Woohoo!!!

 

[Goobs]

Is it clickable? I can click on mine, and it says "Congratulations on your interview to the UC Irvine School of Medicine!"...................

Yes we all freaked out about this a few months ago too, but it turned out to not be anything 👎

 

[tapex]

alternate listed via status page today :/

 

[c1assic]

Hey everyone,

I don't how receptive UCI is generally for letters of update/interest, but I submitted one yesterday and received a prompt response notifying me that it had been added to my file. I have been complete since ~Oct. 15.

 

[ReptarBar]

i'm guessing there are less than 5 interview slots left. i was put into the early april slot back in the beginning of january.

 

[lcck]

i'm guessing there are less than 5 interview slots left. i was put into the early april slot back in the beginning of january.

I'm pretty sure the difference in the date that an interview was offered and the date of the interview itself doesn't offer much insight because I was offered an April interview date back in November.

 

[cinamin]

i'm guessing there are less than 5 interview slots left. i was put into the early april slot back in the beginning of january.

like slots for 5 dates or just 5 people??

 

[lcck]

I'm pretty sure the difference in the date that an interview was offered and the date of the interview itself doesn't offer much insight because I was offered an April interview date back in November.

Oops I just looked back and saw that I was invited in dec

 

[sinombre]

like slots for 5 dates or just 5 people??

There aren't very many interview slots because they interview in large groups... like 40ish people per interview day. So if there really are that many slots left, that's still a significant amount of interviews.

 

[ReptarBar]

I'm pretty sure the difference in the date that an interview was offered and the date of the interview itself doesn't offer much insight because I was offered an April interview date back in November.

oh ok. i figured that they kept filling up successive interview dates until the april ones were filled.

 

[bookfreak89]

Can any current students (or people very familiar with UCISOM) comment on the pros and cons of Irvine? I'm especially interested in their clinical opportunities, from what I've read it sounds like most rotations are at Douglas or at the VA in Long Beach?

Pros/Cons during first 2 years? (socially, academically, location)

Also, how many students would you say do research and what are the strongest research areas?

Thanks in advance!

I can only speak of the pros/cons of the first year:

Pros:

-If you're an outdoors person, Irvine is probably an ideal place for you. Biking, hiking, rock climbing, surfing, running trails, etc.

- Irvine administration is very supportive of us. If we want to do something (changes in curriculum, start a new interest group, travel to a particular country over the summer, find a mentor to do research with, shadow, etc.), they will support/help us. I have done a couple of the things listed and they were enjoyable experiences because of the faculty and their dedication.

-iPad curriculum is pretty good, and I wasn't a believer in the beginning, lol. I personally wouldn't have bought an iPad if Irvine didn't give us one, but it has proved to be a very useful tool. There is an entire section of the administration dedicated to the iPad curriculum and they are constantly making changes and updating it so it improves with every class. Studying is very convenient and the textbooks for the first 2 years are free, so that's one less expense to worry about.

-Anatomy is one of the best classes at Irvine. The course director/professor is amazing and the curriculum is set up really well. Even the people who aren't (and never will be) interested in surgery agree that it's a great class, lol.

-There's more, but I can't think of anymore off the top of my head, haha.

Cons:

-Mandatory attendance. Yeah, I'm not a fan. It is what it is. It's not a deal breaker for me, but it might be for some people. Granted, it's only 80%, so it could be worse

-City of Irvine. Absolutely, positively boring. Complete and utter suburbia. If that's your thing, then you'll love Irvine, but I'm a city person. Don't listen to people when they say: "Oh, it doesn't matter where you live, because you'll be studying most of the time." Not true. Yeah, you'll be studying most of the time, but where you live does matter. What are you going to do when you're NOT studying? Plus, first year isn't bad at all really when it comes to free time, especially with the afternoons off 🙂

-Hospitals not being on campus. Some people don't care about this, but I do. The main hospital is a 25 min drive from Irvine. Granted, you won't be going to the hospital that much as a first/second year, but if you want to shadow or do research, it's a pain especially when combined with mandatory attendance.

Hope this helps! 🙂

Hey,do you mind expanding on the mandatory class + monday tests? Do you know how much class time there is, what it consists of, and how much of the pre-clinical years consist of Monday tests? Because those seem like some pretty big negatives 🙁

From the students I talked to, mandatory attendance started with this year's MS1 class - it's required to attend 80% of the lectures. They take attendance by having students log on and answering some multiple choice questions throughout lectures.

This is correct. We don't have tests every Monday, but when we do have exams they're on Monday (or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday). I personally don't like Monday exams because you lose a weekend to studying. Instead of having the weekend to unwind, relax, and not study, we have to do that during the week while the material piles up, so that sucks. Other people in my class love the set-up, so it depends on you.

Just had a quick question for current students. I have heard from a couple people I know at Irvine (MS1s and MS2s) that the recent curriculum changes (ie switching from P/F to H/P/F for second year and the mandatory attendance policy) were implemented literally right before new terms started. This seems pretty hard to believe as it seems like some students were sold on a curriculum that was abruptly changed right before they matriculated and presumably had already withdrawn their acceptances from other schools. Are these claims accurate?

Yup. I was accepted before the changes became official, lol.

Can any current students comment on the curriculum? Im a little concerned it's not organ-based. Or is it? How do you like the traditional curriculum? Do you feel prepared for step 1?

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It depends on your learning style. We are very traditional and I'm fine with it. Just like Bza said, I can't comment how it differs from systems-based because I've never experienced it. During second/third quarter, they try to make physiology, histology, and clinical foundations cover the same systems at the same time. So you do pulmonary at the same time in these classes, for example.

Just got the call!!! And its my birthday!!! So psyched!!! Good luck everybody!!!

Got the call today too!!!! SOOOO beyond excited and relieved!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats!!! 😀

Also, to those accepted today do you have a status change on the website? Mine doesn't say accepted yet. Maybe it will just change when they send us our acceptance letter, which Dr. Peterson said would be on Monday. Ahh! I guess I'm just still in disbelief and I want to see it in front of me before I can fully believe it 🙂 Congrats to everyone accepted & good luck to everyone still waiting to hear back!

You'll probably get the acceptance package before then, lol.

Does anyone know if they're still sending out interview invites, or have they filled up most of the spots already?

Yeah, they are, especially as students drop their interview.

 

[wheatthins824]

Q

 

[RySerr21]

Hello hello!

current 4th year year willing to answer any question about the 3rd/4th year at Irvine (i can answer 1st and 2nd year questions, but its been a while and definitely thigns ahve changed so best for the current 1st and 2nd years to respond to those).

3rd//4th year questions and curriculum are actually pretty important when comparing schools, and its not something that I found that many schools ever talked about. So, if you are considering two schools, be sure to get your questions answered about those last two years!

you can post on here or send me a message, im more likley to respond to a message promptly because i dont check this often anymore, and ill just repost it on here so everyone can see.

good luck and congrats!

 

[cbas07]

Hello hello!

current 4th year year willing to answer any question about the 3rd/4th year at Irvine (i can answer 1st and 2nd year questions, but its been a while and definitely thigns ahve changed so best for the current 1st and 2nd years to respond to those).

3rd//4th year questions and curriculum are actually pretty important when comparing schools, and its not something that I found that many schools ever talked about. So, if you are considering two schools, be sure to get your questions answered about those last two years!

you can post on here or send me a message, im more likley to respond to a message promptly because i dont check this often anymore, and ill just repost it on here so everyone can see.

good luck and congrats!

How do you like the clinical curriculum at UCI? I've heard that UCI students don't get to do much during their rotations and clerkships because of too many residents/attendings and administrative stuff prevents it.

Also, how was board prep?

 

[Ursatz]

Hello hello!

current 4th year year willing to answer any question about the 3rd/4th year at Irvine (i can answer 1st and 2nd year questions, but its been a while and definitely thigns ahve changed so best for the current 1st and 2nd years to respond to those).

3rd//4th year questions and curriculum are actually pretty important when comparing schools, and its not something that I found that many schools ever talked about. So, if you are considering two schools, be sure to get your questions answered about those last two years!

you can post on here or send me a message, im more likley to respond to a message promptly because i dont check this often anymore, and ill just repost it on here so everyone can see.

good luck and congrats!

Another question (on the topic of 3rd and 4th years): with regards to the multiple clinical rotation sites, how much flexibility is there to select where you go? Can you organize your rotations into blocks or are you bouncing back and forth a lot?

 

[turkalurkey]

Hi, does anyone know what the pass rate of the step 1 board exams for UCI is and how it compares to the national average? Also, how is UCI's residency matching?

 

[RySerr21]

Another question (on the topic of 3rd and 4th years): with regards to the multiple clinical rotation sites, how much flexibility is there to select where you go? Can you organize your rotations into blocks or are you bouncing back and forth a lot?

there is a good amount of flexibility. i spent the first 6 months in long beach, which is where i live. you just have to be quick with your email cuz its first come first serve, so having a smart phone is apretty serious advantage when it comes to responding. You arent really 'bouncing' back and forth...there are some rotations where you will spend a week or two in a place and a week or two at another, and otehrs where the entire thing will be in one spot. For some rotations you wont have a cohice as everyone goes to UCIMC and the LBVA (e.g. medicine) and for otehrs you can pick one or the other (eg CHOC vs Millers for peds).

Hi, does anyone know what the pass rate of the step 1 board exams for UCI is and how it compares to the national average? Also, how is UCI's residency matching?

they dont really tell us that stuff, but it is on par with the national average no doubt. Residency matching is strong. I can post match list after this years match, but i shed caution in interpreting board scores and match lists as these are hard to interpret (good or bad). Most of your success in med school will be a direct reflection of your individual effort and not whether the class before you matched a lot into ortho. For what its worth i can tell you on the interview trail (at least for pediatrics) that many interviewers/PDs have commented on UC irvine graduates and how they have been pelased with them in the past...i imagine that is probably true through most fields

 

[missmed1229]

Has anyone from the Jan. 28th interview heard anything? It seems we should be getting a decision fairly soon.

 

[virtuoso735]

Pre-interview rejection last night. I've been under review since August, so that's no surprise. Good luck to everyone else still under review!

 

[BlueX]

How do you like the clinical curriculum at UCI? I've heard that UCI students don't get to do much during their rotations and clerkships because of too many residents/attendings and administrative stuff prevents it.

Also, how was board prep?

Clerkships, in general, are fine. I never felt like there was a lack of hands-on things "to do," especially after rotating through the VA. If you have any specific areas you're worried about I can try to comment.

The curriculum 1st and 2nd year is not tailored to the boards per se, but all of the basic information is there. Like any school, you'll need to put in a lot of extra hours to do well on step 1. The time is there though, and you have 7-8 weeks after classes end to solidify things and take the test.

Another question (on the topic of 3rd and 4th years): with regards to the multiple clinical rotation sites, how much flexibility is there to select where you go? Can you organize your rotations into blocks or are you bouncing back and forth a lot?

There are a few times when everyone has to be either at UCIMC or in Long Beach. If you had a strong preference one way or the other you could probably get all of MS3 at UCI/CHOC except for maybe 6 weeks in LB, or about half of it in LB with the rest at UCI. Fourth year you can get mostly whatever you want with a few exceptions.

Hi, does anyone know what the pass rate of the step 1 board exams for UCI is and how it compares to the national average? Also, how is UCI's residency matching?

Not sure about the pass rate; it is going to be very high at any US allopathic school and probably not a good tool for comparison. Average score might be a better standard, but that is really more reflective of individual effort than curriculum.

 

[ReptarBar]

Has anyone from the Jan. 28th interview heard anything? It seems we should be getting a decision fairly soon.

we should hear back monday since it's 5 weeks...

 

[Toofison]

Just got the call from Dr. Peterson, accepted! Interviewed 1/28. Stoked to have a California option!

 

[missmed1229]

So excited!! Got the call from Dr. Peterson yesterday 😍 Beyond thrilled.

 

[Aldadoc]

Does that mean I was alternate listed if I also interviewed on January 28th, or does Dr. Peterson call people on multiple days to let them know they were accepted? I am going to keep my hopes up until I actually see my status change to alternate listed.

 

[ReptarBar]

Does that mean I was alternate listed if I also interviewed on January 28th, or does Dr. Peterson call people on multiple days to let them know they were accepted? I am going to keep my hopes up until I actually see my status change to alternate listed.

I think it means we will be waitlisted. God damn.

 

[missmed1229]

I didn't really believe it until I checked my status page-accepted! Congratulations to everyone who got in!

 

[Juan Solo]

I didn't really believe it until I checked my status page-accepted! Congratulations to everyone who got in!

Congrats! That's awesome!

 

[Aldadoc]

I think it means we will be waitlisted. God damn.

Yep, my status changed to alternate list today.

 

[oncosankenobi]

This is my alma mater. Can't see myself going back to CA, though. Withdrew my application (post-interview). Good luck, everyone!

 

[Member 8535320]

Hey I was wondering if any current students or anyone familiar with the area could give me some ideas of the best places to live on or around campus.

Thanks!

 

[dandelion88]

Was on hold for many months but ended up getting the pre-interview rejection email, on a SUNDAY! Thanks for the love.

 

[fox916]

Was on hold for many months but ended up getting the pre-interview rejection email, on a SUNDAY! Thanks for the love.

Sigh.. I wonder if it means anything to still have "Under Review" status or if they just completely forgot about me. Been waiting since August. 🙁

 

[Linette]

sigh.. I wonder if it means anything to still have "under review" status or if they just completely forgot about me. Been waiting since august. 🙁

+1

 

[oldgreg55]

Hey I was wondering if any current students or anyone familiar with the area could give me some ideas of the best places to live on or around campus.

Thanks!

best place to live is right on the beach in newport. there are many affordable options down there.

 

[BiologyNerd]

Sigh.. I wonder if it means anything to still have "Under Review" status or if they just completely forgot about me. Been waiting since August. 🙁

Hell isn't some place on fire, its being under review... forever.

 

[lkc9394]

^ +1