2013-2014 University of Arizona Application Thread

[gettheleadout]

Space reserved for prompt.

Please PM the essays or lack thereof to me when the secondary is available and I will update this.

Good luck to everyone applying!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[kopssa]

This is my first choice school! This is my second year applying and I did not even get an interview here and got waitlisted in Phoenix. :/ I am hoping for good luck this year! I am applying super early unlike last year and I think it will help a lot! Anybody else excited?!

 

[Ts1991]

This is my first choice school! This is my second year applying and I did not even get an interview here and got waitlisted in Phoenix. :/ I am hoping for good luck this year! I am applying super early unlike last year and I think it will help a lot! Anybody else excited?!

I am! I would love a chance to come out west. What were your stats? I have a 31 and 3.8, I hope I've got a decent shot. Good luck!

 

[kopssa]

I am! I would love a chance to come out west. What were your stats? I have a 31 and 3.8, I hope I've got a decent shot. Good luck!

I am in state and have a 31 and 3.65 but I think my main problem was that I applied super late last cycle! Good luck!

 

[kopssa]

Has anybody received the secondary for U of A Tucson? Is it the same as last year?

 

[amweatherly]

Has anybody received the secondary for U of A Tucson? Is it the same as last year?

Last year it wasn't until later July. I wouldn't worry. Phoenix sent theirs already though

 

[kopssa]

Last year it wasn't until later July. I wouldn't worry. Phoenix sent theirs already though

That is why I was wondering if anybody had gotten the Tucson one. Thank you! I decided I would get going on writing as many as I could even though I submitted on the 12th and I feel like verification is taking forever!

 

[amweatherly]

That is why I was wondering if anybody had gotten the Tucson one. Thank you! I decided I would get going on writing as many as I could even though I submitted on the 12th and I feel like verification is taking forever!

My biggest fear is I write all 6 and they change them haha

 

[YoungWildFree]

So I am pretty confused with the differences between Tucson and Phoenix schools. Clearly their admissions are very different since Phoenix has secondaries sent out already and Tucson has not sent them out yet. Anyone care to throw in their two cents on the issue? Thanks!

 

[kopssa]

My biggest fear is I write all 6 and they change them haha

That is why I have not written any yet either! Better spend my time on other secondaries for now... =)

 

[kopssa]

So I am pretty confused with the differences between Tucson and Phoenix schools. Clearly their admissions are very different since Phoenix has secondaries sent out already and Tucson has not sent them out yet. Anyone care to throw in their two cents on the issue? Thanks!

Now Phoenix and Tucson are completely different medical schools with different curriculum. I interviewed at Phoenix and they have a smaller entering class and require a research project during medical school. Tucson is connected to University Medical Center so it seems to me that it is more clinical based. Tucson also has a larger entering class but I believe they accept less out-of-state percentage wise but I may be incorrect on that one.

 

[talinnlove]

Just got the secondary. Prompts:

How has your education, experience, and background prepared you to interact effectively with people who have lives different from yours (cultural, social, religious, educational, etc.)? (Limit: 350 words)

Please share a meaningful experience you have had working or volunteering in the health profession. What did you learn from this as it relates to becoming a physician? (If you have little to no clinical experience, please talk about a time in your past in which you were responsible for the care and well-being of someone else.) (Limit: 350 words)

Discuss a time in your life in which you have failed at something. How did you confront the failure and what did you learn from it? When faced with a challenge in your life, how has thinking it over allowed you to move forward? (Limit: 350 words)

Describe how your career interests and/or experiences align with the mission of the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine. (Limit: 350 words)
"The mission of the University of Arizona College of Medicine Office of Admissions is to select a diverse cohort of students who will become the future leaders in advancing health care to the distinct communities that comprise Arizona and the United States. Consistent with the mission of The University of Arizona College of Medicine, selection of individuals with a demonstrated commitment to serve as care providers, physician scientists, clinical leaders, medical educators and/or public health experts, including advocates for rural and urban underserved populations, is highly valued. Applicants seeking admission should exhibit qualities of altruism, academic excellence, leadership and dedication to becoming lifelong learners through research endeavors and academic development."
What are the top 3 traits you look for in your fellow classmates or coworkers? Why would these traits be important to your experience at AZCOM and as a future physician? (Limit: 350 words)

Do you believe your MCAT scores or GPA accurately represents your potential to succeed in medical school? Why or why not? (Limit: 350 words)

If you are a returning applicant, please share what you have done since you last applied. (Limit: 350 words)

 

[HH8911]

Also just got the Tucson secondary (have had the Phoenix one for over a week).

 

[QuantumQuark]

Excited that I just got the secondary here it is one of my top choices!

 

[kopssa]

Thank you for sharing the prompts!

 

[kopssa]

Thank you for sharing the prompts!

Im writing these prompts and man this is a rough secondary! At least each is only 350 words long!

 

[runningdude]

Im writing these prompts and man this is a rough secondary! At least each is only 350 words long!

Agreed! Both UA-Phoenix and Tucson are beastly applications.

 

[kopssa]

Agreed! Both UA-Phoenix and Tucson are beastly applications.

I have been working on them and since I just got verified today I should hopefully be getting the secondaries soon! But I am just worried because there are sooooo many essays!!

 

[kopssa]

I received this secondary today! =) I am so excited!!

 

[mTORC]

Does anyone know if a letter from a physician is required? Do you know if a letter from a physician scientist (MD/PhD) would be sufficient to meet this requirement?

 

[kopssa]

I do not believe U of A requires a letter from a physician. They just require three letters of choice!

 

[mTORC]

I do not believe U of A requires a letter from a physician. They just require three letters of choice!

That's what I thought, until I saw this:
http://medicine.arizona.edu/admissions/application-process/letters

Can anyone comment?

 

[kopssa]

For this it looks like it doesn't have to necessarily be from a physician but could also be from someone in the clinical setting

 

[QuantumQuark]

That's what I thought, until I saw this:
http://medicine.arizona.edu/admissions/application-process/letters

Can anyone comment?

Applicants are required to provide, at minimum, one letter of recommendation that collaborates service with a physician and/or clinical experience.

If you have participated in clinical activities or academic research, we'd like to see letters of recommendation from professionals who worked with you. For example, a clinical or community service supervisor, and/or a research mentor.

Sounds to me that they want a clinical experience that is involved enough that they can write a letter for you. I am using my Hospital Volunteering for this requirement personally.

 

[kopssa]

Looking over this it looks they changed the requirements from last year! (I believe last year it was just 3 letters in general...) Luckily though I have a letter from my clinical supervisor, current boss, research mentor and organic chemistry professor. Just because I decided to be so broad with my letters it saved me! phew! That is a relief!

 

[QuantumQuark]

Same here they definitely changed the requirements and the entire look of the site for that matter. Glad I happened to have one too!

 

[mTORC]

Meh, their loss. It would have been nice if they didn't update it last minute and informed applicants months in advance. Their website didn't say that a clinical letter was needed as of 3-4 months ago, I'm pretty sure.

 

[kopssa]

Does anyone know when they start sending out interview invites? I just sent in my secondary! =D

 

[runningdude]

Does anyone know when they start sending out interview invites? I just sent in my secondary! =D

Last year invites did not come until end of August and first of September.

 

[SunsFun]

Applicants are required to provide, at minimum, one letter of recommendation that collaborates service with a physician and/or clinical experience.

If you have participated in clinical activities or academic research, we'd like to see letters of recommendation from professionals who worked with you. For example, a clinical or community service supervisor, and/or a research mentor.

Sounds to me that they want a clinical experience that is involved enough that they can write a letter for you. I am using my Hospital Volunteering for this requirement personally.

So would it actually be in any way disadvantageous to have a letter from clinical experience but not from a physician? Also, do they really want letter from the most recent employer even if the job was not clinical?

 

[QuantumQuark]

IMO what matters more is who can write a better letter because they know you better, but the only info we really have is what's on the site and it doesn't say one is preferred over the other.

 

[asanch]

What does everyone else see under the documents tab on their secondary? Mine is showing my letter of recommendation packet, but that's it. Should it show MCAT scores or anything?

 

[kopssa]

What does everyone else see under the documents tab on their secondary? Mine is showing my letter of recommendation packet, but that's it. Should it show MCAT scores or anything?

Last year it did not show MCAT scores or anything. Letters were the only things under the document section! So I wouldn't worry!

 

[paperclips]

Anyone know if the Physio requirement can be replaced with another upper div bio?

 

[Noggin]

Anyone know if the Physio requirement can be replaced with another upper div bio?

I don't believe so. On the Phoenix thread, there was a member from the admissions committee saying that Physiology is an absolute requirement and nothing can be substituted for it. I would imagine this school treats this issue the same way.

 

[Remy LeBeau]

Anyone know if the Physio requirement can be replaced with another upper div bio?

I was not aware that there was a physiology requirement.

Admissions

 

[paperclips]

I emailed them. They said they will accept a combination of anatomy/physio. But the Physio is a hard requirement. I definitely need to look to see if I can take a Physio class at a CC for the next semester....

 

[runningdude]

3. Discuss a time in your life in which you have failed at something. How did you confront the failure and what did you learn from it? When faced with a challenge in your life, how has thinking it over allowed you to move forward?

For this question, would it be bad to use an experience from high school?

 

[StLouisCards]

3.Discuss a time in your life in which you have failed at something. How did you confront the failure and what did you learn from it? When faced with a challenge in your life, how has thinking it over allowed you to move forward?

For this question, would it be bad to use an experience from high school?

I don't necessarily think it would be bad to, as long as it had some sort of formative influence on your life. Like I would maybe try to tie what you took away from your failure and how you applied it to your studies or personal life etc in college

 

[runningdude]

I don't necessarily think it would be bad to, as long as it had some sort of formative influence on your life. Like I would maybe try to tie what you took away from your failure and how you applied it to your studies or personal life etc in college

Thanks for the reply. I was definitely going to tie it to how it has helped me prepare for medical school.

 

[supportivehubby]

Hey all, can you confirm WHO in admissions stated you needed a Physiology course for admission? I am a current student and am not familiar with this requirement. Please make sure you are not confusing the Phoenix and Tucson requirements. . . . I will ask them also and see what they say and let you all know

 

[supportivehubby]

Hey all, can you confirm WHO in admissions stated you needed a Physiology course for admission? I am a current student and am not familiar with this requirement. Please make sure you are not confusing the Phoenix and Tucson requirements. . . . I will ask them also and see what they say and let you all know

This email:
"There is no physiology requirement for the Tucson campus – just the same old Bio, Chem, OChem, Physics, and English.

Thanks!

-- Beth"

Hope this helps some of you relax a bit.

 

[fluorescing]

Tucson's secondary was definitely one of the more difficult ones! I really hope the adcom actually read secondary essays before making their decisions for IIs.

 

[Ts1991]

Secondary submitted! Just waiting on my letter packet to arrive now. Good luck to everyone!

 

[Ts1991]

Just curious, I live far away from Arizona. Hypothetically speaking, if I were lucky enough to receive an interview at Phoenix, where I also applied, do you think it would be out of line or rude to request my application be reviewed here at Tucson to see if I will get an interview here as well? I would hate to fly down for a Phoenix interview, and then weeks later have to pay to fly back again for a Tucson interview. What do you guys think? (Again, I haven't received interviews at either, and may not, just trying to plan financially here)

 

[SunsFun]

Just curious, I live far away from Arizona. Hypothetically speaking, if I were lucky enough to receive an interview at Phoenix, where I also applied, do you think it would be out of line or rude to request my application be reviewed here at Tucson to see if I will get an interview here as well? I would hate to fly down for a Phoenix interview, and then weeks later have to pay to fly back again for a Tucson interview. What do you guys think? (Again, I haven't received interviews at either, and may not, just trying to plan financially here)

Treat those two as separate schools.

 

[Jimsy]

Just received the secondary

 

[unhistoried]

After three days of orientation and two days of fake classes, I can confirm that UofA is the greatest medical school in the world.

 

[mTORC]

Space reserved for prompt.

Please PM the essays or lack thereof to me when the secondary is available and I will update this.

Good luck to everyone applying!

Does anyone know the secondary prompts? Would love to know them.

 

[amweatherly]

Does anyone know the secondary prompts? Would love to know them.

1 How has your education, experience, and background prepared you to interact effectively with people who have lives different from yours (cultural, social, religious, educational, etc.)? (Limit: 350 words)

2. Please share a meaningful experience you have had working or volunteering in the health profession. What did you learn from this as it relates to becoming a physician? (If you have little to no clinical experience, please talk about a time in your past in which you were responsible for the care and well-being of someone else.) (Limit: 350 words)

3. Discuss a time in your life in which you have failed at something. How did you confront the failure and what did you learn from it? When faced with a challenge in your life, how has thinking it over allowed you to move forward? (Limit: 350 words)

4. Describe how your career interests and/or experiences align with the mission of the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine. (Limit: 350 words)

"The mission of the University of Arizona College of Medicine Office of Admissions is to select a diverse cohort of students who will become the future leaders in advancing health care to the distinct communities that comprise Arizona and the United States. Consistent with the mission of The University of Arizona College of Medicine, selection of individuals with a demonstrated commitment to serve as care providers, physician scientists, clinical leaders, medical educators and/or public health experts, including advocates for rural and urban underserved populations, is highly valued. Applicants seeking admission should exhibit qualities of altruism, academic excellence, leadership and dedication to becoming lifelong learners through research endeavors and academic development."

5. What are the top 3 traits you look for in your fellow classmates or coworkers? Why would these traits be important to your experience at AZCOM and as a future physician? (Limit: 350 words)

6. Do you believe your MCAT scores or GPA accurately represents your potential to succeed in medical school? Why or why not? (Limit: 350 words)

7. If you are a returning applicant, please share what you have done since you last applied. (Limit: 350 words)



Just looking at it gives me nightmares