2013-2014 University of Central Florida Application Thread

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REL,

Will they email us if we become EFI/AORTA or rejected, or should we just be checking the site?
 
ewelling said:
REL,

Will they email us if we become EFI/AORTA or rejected, or should we just be checking the site?
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You will receive an email if you will not be interviewed (rejected), otherwise the site will provide you the change of status info. We only email the supplemental app, file complete, and no interview. There may be some other reminder emails later in the season for various situations --- complete your file, app deadline approaching, etc.
 
REL said:
We are quickly becoming the program in the state with the creation of the med city to include all of the health teaching/clinical/biomed research focus supported buy big business and some of the Fortune 500 projects. Also strong Step scores and a very strong first Match. We're not a med school created for primary care, but to create the med city and all that goes with it......a huge tax revenue for the state ($460b when completed)......this is massive and exciting...and you get to help build it! Community support it massive and every student admitted has received some form or scholarship or grant......25% non-Florida to diversify the most diverse and collaborative student body in the state.
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I see that you mentioned earlier that UCF is not a med school created for primary care. Are individuals applying to UCF aiming to become PCPs at a disadvantage?
 
hamsawx said:
I see that you mentioned earlier that UCF is not a med school created for primary care. Are individuals applying to UCF aiming to become PCPs at a disadvantage?
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Not being created for primary care is not the same as actively avoiding students who are interested. When I interviewed last cycle, I had no sense that students gearing towards primary care would be at a disadvantage, The school just doesn't put a specific emphasis on it like FSU might.
 
REL said:
You will receive an email if you will not be interviewed (rejected), otherwise the site will provide you the change of status info. We only email the supplemental app, file complete, and no interview. There may be some other reminder emails later in the season for various situations --- complete your file, app deadline approaching, etc.
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Thanks REL! 🙂
 
hamsawx said:
I see that you mentioned earlier that UCF is not a med school created for primary care. Are individuals applying to UCF aiming to become PCPs at a disadvantage?
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Absolutely not! While we are not under the same charter as the other state med schools, we do want students who will go into ANY area of medicine of their choosing, all are needed.

REL
 
REL, I've seen you comment before on other masters programs so I was wondering if you cared to comment on USFs MS in medical science program. I've had a hard time finding concrete info on it and I'm not sure if it qualifies as a true SMP. I had a 3.3 in undergrad but have done very well at USFs program. I think you have mentioned In the past about not weighting grad school as heavily. So just a general idea of how you weight a program like this would be awesome.

Hopefully it can be helpful to future people considering the program. When I was considering the program I wish I had access to Info like that. If someone has a GPA that's on the low end (but not screened out low like mine), is this a good option for people to increase their chances at a school like UCF? Or would they be better to save their money and simply take more undergrad classes?

That said, I understand it might be awkward to comment on another school specifically. So any info is helpful. Thank you.
 
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So I received an email from REL on saturday saying my file was going under review but when I go online and check my status it still says "Hold For Information"?
 
ewelling said:
Some are optional:
1)If you do not expect to spend the academic year enrolled in an academic program, please explain how you will use this time.

2)Please provide details regarding academic difficulties, grades below “B minus”, or course withdrawals.

3)Do you have any information that you would like to share with the UCF COM Medical Student Admissions Committee that has not already been addressed in your AMCAS application? You may also use this section to include information about your family, personal interests, hobbies, and travels that have not already been discussed in your AMCAS application. Please provide details about NEW information for the Committee to consider to include information about your family, personal interests, hobbies, and travels that have not already been discussed on your AMCAS application.

4)Please provide a short essay to help us understand who you are. This essay should be different than you AMCAS Personal Statement. UCF COM places great value on the diversity of our students within the classroom and believe that the diverse characteristics of each individual in the class are important factors in serving the educational missions of this school and of our community. Please discuss any unique, personally important and/or challenging experiences in your background that have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine and service to others. These may include experiences such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or other significant events or circumstances that you feel have shaped your character and defined you as an individual. We are also interested on your thoughts about what you can contribute to your class and the medical profession in general. (2 pages, single spaced)

I think there were some other short questions about describing any new activities involving community outreach, leadership, research, etc.
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Thanks. Can you also post the character limit for each prompt? Thanks again!!
 
D2thaJay said:
So I received an email from REL on saturday saying my file was going under review but when I go online and check my status it still says "Hold For Information"?
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I got the email around 8pm one night and it was changed the next morning! Just give it a little time 🙂
 
My secondary is submitted! Good luck to all who are applying. I'm still waiting on my letter packet to arrive though, they won't review until after then I'm assuming?
 
kmp0410 said:
REL, I've seen you comment before on other masters programs so I was wondering if you cared to comment on USFs MS in medical science program. I've had a hard time finding concrete info on it and I'm not sure if it qualifies as a true SMP. I had a 3.3 in undergrad but have done very well at USFs program. I think you have mentioned In the past about not weighting grad school as heavily. So just a general idea of how you weight a program like this would be awesome.

Hopefully it can be helpful to future people considering the program. When I was considering the program I wish I had access to Info like that. If someone has a GPA that's on the low end (but not screened out low like mine), is this a good option for people to increase their chances at a school like UCF? Or would they be better to save their money and simply take more undergrad classes?

That said, I understand it might be awkward to comment on another school specifically. So any info is helpful. Thank you.
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The experience over the years shows me that the USF Med Sciences MS, is a solid experience that can help and applicant repair or enhance their science academics for a run at a med school application. The better you do in this program, the stronger your chances appear to be at entering an MD program. But of course that success also has to be mixed with the motivations and activities. I do have a personal bias against the IMS program that USF and some other programs have, the one where you are actually taking all of the Med I academics (sans clinicals) of the first year. To me the IMS-like programs are the last resort; you grading is on par with competing with med students and if you do not outshine 2/3's of the class you are not percieved as other than an average med school applicant. In this type of program if you do not do as well, you have probably ruined any future academic opportunities to get into a med program. You did not get into a med program for some reason, so as an IMS student the pressure to succeed against those who are in a med program may just be too much because your "tool box" was already somehow deficient. Finally while USF program is doing a good job there isnt too much competition (yet) at this level in the state. I once thought that the Barry program was pretty strong, but I have witnessed some who "blew" away that program and had a difficult time in a med program. I am not aware of any offerings at the other schools in the state that cater to academic repair for med school in any large scale way. I know that UCF is gearing up to enter this market and I have seen a few lately in the Molecular MS that seem to be doing well. I believe that that program is going to grow rapidly soon.

One final bias, I suggest not doing an MPH to repair science academics to enter a med program. If your deficiency basic science, most MPH programs have little real academic science "meat" involved other than a couple of electives. An MPH provides good peripheral information for a doctor, but is not a good way to become a doctor if you need to improve the basic science strength.
 
sb247 said:
It's a little unfair to ask a known staff member of one school to comment directly on another school
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So I read this article a few weeks back and have resisted a response for awhile mainly to consider my response and to be as objective as possible. This basics of this is a marriage of desperation (maybe too strong) between both organizations. I began my tenure at USF COM in 1996 and departed as soon as UCF COM was established and hiring in 2007. I really enjoyed my time and those I worked with, but the opportunity to go to UCF was a pretty easy decision. Simply put UCF has an active dream and a focused leader in a community that fully supports that university. USF's leadership at the COM has been nothing short of average during my initial years and got much worse before I departed. There was limited vision and little leadership. If you look back on the most current COM dean's (yes, most deserving of a little "d") he took over an average program in the state and with poor hires of other leaders the program is in general decline. Few of the leadership hires under his tenure are still there and most that are still there have nowhere else to go. If USF is lucky the will get a chance to go with the out-going dean. Consider over the last 10 years that relationships with Moffitt, TGH, and All Children's hospitals have all deteriorated. All Children's, probaby the best hospital of it's type in the state during those years is now a part of the J. Hopkins network with USF students having been transitioned out toward TGH for the peds training. TGH, while the best hospital in the bay area, doesnt have a great peds training program, certainly not on par with All Kids. UF has been able to make in-roads with Moffitt who doesnt feel that they have been treated will by USF leadership and thus welcomed UF. Now both USF and UF have equal use of Moffitt. As you probably know TGH and USF are still not on the greatest terms. Once final bit of leadership chaos was the brilliant ponzi scheme of USF partnering with a Pennsylvania healthcare system to bring cash into the dean's realm. Let's partner to charge everyone higher tuition for a program that does 2 years of classroom in Tampa with 2 years of clinicals in PA. USF's problem is clinical space to teach and the system in PA's problem was maintaining relationships with med programs in the state. So those two partners created a program where all admitted members paid close to out-of-state tuition for all years, had to do a major move, and got nothing more than a few "management" classes for their effort with nothing noted on their diploma and a couple of more classes on their transcript. I suspect that a new COM Dean at USF would likely look at the integrity issue here and make some changes. The outgoing dean's ten year reign at USF's was fraught with mismanagement and overspending designed to spotlight himself, not the program nor the good of the bay area. I should know, I worked there, and I still live in the Tampa area, and I know much of what is still going on there.

LRMC has always wanted to be the big kid in eastern Hillsborough County and has done some good things to try to be a better facility with some stronger programs. So through USF's need and LRMC's desire a partnership has been born. LRMC will never be an All Kids, Moffitt, or TGH, but in a storm you go to the nearest port. This is a coup for LRMC, and helps USF a little, but wouldnt be considered if the other partnership had not been lost.

Wonder why I bristle when some say UCF and USF are the same? There is no comparison, two completely different programs going in opposite directions.
 
REL, thank you for being so candid. You provide so much helpful insight! I know that the admissions staff is down a member, but can you give us an estimate of when the EFI/rejection statuses will start to appear?
 
REL said:
So I read this article a few weeks back and have resisted a response for awhile mainly to consider my response and to be as objective as possible. This basics of this is a marriage of desperation (maybe too strong) between both organizations. I began my tenure at USF COM in 1996 and departed as soon as UCF COM was established and hiring in 2007. I really enjoyed my time and those I worked with, but the opportunity to go to UCF was a pretty easy decision. Simply put UCF has an active dream and a focused leader in a community that fully supports that university. USF's leadership at the COM has been nothing short of average during my initial years and got much worse before I departed. There was limited vision and little leadership. If you look back on the most current COM dean's (yes, most deserving of a little "d") he took over an average program in the state and with poor hires of other leaders the program is in general decline. Few of the leadership hires under his tenure are still there and most that are still there have nowhere else to go. If USF is lucky the will get a chance to go with the out-going dean. Consider over the last 10 years that relationships with Moffitt, TGH, and All Children's hospitals have all deteriorated. All Children's, probaby the best hospital of it's type in the state during those years is now a part of the J. Hopkins network with USF students having been transitioned out toward TGH for the peds training. TGH, while the best hospital in the bay area, doesnt have a great peds training program, certainly not on par with All Kids. UF has been able to make in-roads with Moffitt who doesnt feel that they have been treated will by USF leadership and thus welcomed UF. Now both USF and UF have equal use of Moffitt. As you probably know TGH and USF are still not on the greatest terms. Once final bit of leadership chaos was the brilliant ponzi scheme of USF partnering with a Pennsylvania healthcare system to bring cash into the dean's realm. Let's partner to charge everyone higher tuition for a program that does 2 years of classroom in Tampa with 2 years of clinicals in PA. USF's problem is clinical space to teach and the system in PA's problem was maintaining relationships with med programs in the state. So those two partners created a program where all admitted members paid close to out-of-state tuition for all years, had to do a major move, and got nothing more than a few "management" classes for their effort with nothing noted on their diploma and a couple of more classes on their transcript. I suspect that a new COM Dean at USF would likely look at the integrity issue here and make some changes. The outgoing dean's ten year reign at USF's was fraught with mismanagement and overspending designed to spotlight himself, not the program nor the good of the bay area. I should know, I worked there, and I still live in the Tampa area, and I know much of what is still going on there.

LRMC has always wanted to be the big kid in eastern Hillsborough County and has done some good things to try to be a better facility with some stronger programs. So through USF's need and LRMC's desire a partnership has been born. LRMC will never be an All Kids, Moffitt, or TGH, but in a storm you go to the nearest port. This is a coup for LRMC, and helps USF a little, but wouldnt be considered if the other partnership had not been lost.

Wonder why I bristle when some say UCF and USF are the same? There is no comparison, two completely different programs going in opposite directions.
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Wow this info is really really helpful! These are definitely important factors to consider. REL, we really appreciate your time answering our questions!
 
BundleofHis said:
REL, thank you for being so candid. You provide so much helpful insight! I know that the admissions staff is down a member, but can you give us an estimate of when the EFI/rejection statuses will start to appear?
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I would like to know as well!
 
REL said:
So I read this article a few weeks back and have resisted a response for awhile mainly to consider my response and to be as objective as possible. This basics of this is a marriage of desperation (maybe too strong) between both organizations. I began my tenure at USF COM in 1996 and departed as soon as UCF COM was established and hiring in 2007. I really enjoyed my time and those I worked with, but the opportunity to go to UCF was a pretty easy decision. Simply put UCF has an active dream and a focused leader in a community that fully supports that university. USF's leadership at the COM has been nothing short of average during my initial years and got much worse before I departed. There was limited vision and little leadership. If you look back on the most current COM dean's (yes, most deserving of a little "d") he took over an average program in the state and with poor hires of other leaders the program is in general decline. Few of the leadership hires under his tenure are still there and most that are still there have nowhere else to go. If USF is lucky the will get a chance to go with the out-going dean. Consider over the last 10 years that relationships with Moffitt, TGH, and All Children's hospitals have all deteriorated. All Children's, probaby the best hospital of it's type in the state during those years is now a part of the J. Hopkins network with USF students having been transitioned out toward TGH for the peds training. TGH, while the best hospital in the bay area, doesnt have a great peds training program, certainly not on par with All Kids. UF has been able to make in-roads with Moffitt who doesnt feel that they have been treated will by USF leadership and thus welcomed UF. Now both USF and UF have equal use of Moffitt. As you probably know TGH and USF are still not on the greatest terms. Once final bit of leadership chaos was the brilliant ponzi scheme of USF partnering with a Pennsylvania healthcare system to bring cash into the dean's realm. Let's partner to charge everyone higher tuition for a program that does 2 years of classroom in Tampa with 2 years of clinicals in PA. USF's problem is clinical space to teach and the system in PA's problem was maintaining relationships with med programs in the state. So those two partners created a program where all admitted members paid close to out-of-state tuition for all years, had to do a major move, and got nothing more than a few "management" classes for their effort with nothing noted on their diploma and a couple of more classes on their transcript. I suspect that a new COM Dean at USF would likely look at the integrity issue here and make some changes. The outgoing dean's ten year reign at USF's was fraught with mismanagement and overspending designed to spotlight himself, not the program nor the good of the bay area. I should know, I worked there, and I still live in the Tampa area, and I know much of what is still going on there.

LRMC has always wanted to be the big kid in eastern Hillsborough County and has done some good things to try to be a better facility with some stronger programs. So through USF's need and LRMC's desire a partnership has been born. LRMC will never be an All Kids, Moffitt, or TGH, but in a storm you go to the nearest port. This is a coup for LRMC, and helps USF a little, but wouldnt be considered if the other partnership had not been lost.

Wonder why I bristle when some say UCF and USF are the same? There is no comparison, two completely different programs going in opposite directions.
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Love the candor REL! Thank you
 
SEC MD said:
I think this is a little bit awkward....
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There is some awkwardness, that is why I took so long to respond. In the end I decided that I could simply report on my experiences and reflect on my knowledge. In the end they will produce a solid MD, but IMO the last ~10 years have cost the program more than time. I suspect many in the know, if they were in a situation where they could be candid, there would be general agreement. There have been some progress in some areas and some set-backs in others. I dont expect that from a program that has been around for close to 50 years. You wouldnt think that they would consistently lose candidates to programs that are in their infancy.

Where do you feel that this is some awkwardness?
 
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REL said:
There is some awkwardness, that is why I took so long to respond. In the end I decided that I could simply report on my experiences and reflect on my knowledge. In the end they will produce a solid MD, but IMO the last ~10 years have cost the program more than time. I suspect many in the know, if they were in a situation where they could be candid, there would be general agreement. There have been some progress in some areas and some set-backs in others. I dont expect that from a program that has been around since for close to 50 years. You wouldnt think that they would consistently lose candidates to programs that are in their infancy.

Where do you feel that this is some awkwardness?
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No REL, I am glad you answered the question and were so candid. I appreciate your honesty. That is why I knew you were the right person to ask. However, before you answered my question SB247 thought he would answer for you (Page 3) by stating that it would be too awkward for you to answer and went on to give me a sarcastic analogy. That is why I was being a little bit facetious. Sorry for the confusion and again, thanks for the response.
 
SEC MD said:
No REL, I am glad you answered the question and were so candid. I appreciate your honesty. That is why I knew you were the right person to ask. However, before you answered my question SB247 thought he would answer for you (Page 3) by stating that it would be too awkward for you to answer and went on to give me a sarcastic analogy. That is why I was being a little bit facetious. Sorry for the confusion and again, thanks for the response.
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I didn't think it was impossible for REL to answer, just awkward for you to ask...and there was no sarcasm in my analogy, I meant it. But relax, it got answered, and answered well
 
Thanks so much for all the info and opinion, great reads.
 
DocTheFuture said:
Thanks. Can you also post the character limit for each prompt? Thanks again!!
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Can someone please post the character limit for each prompt.

Also what does this mean?:
I think there were some other short questions about describing any new activities involving community outreach, leadership, research, etc.

Were there or were there not questions on these? If so would you mind posting the prompt and character limit? Thanks
 
Can someone please post the character limits for the essays? The prompt for the main essayone said 2 pages, but no one has posted the limits of these three:

1) If you do not expect to spend the academic year enrolled in an academic program, please explain how you will use this time.

2) Please provide details regarding academic difficulties, grades below “B minus”, or course withdrawals.

3) Do you have any information that you would like to share with the UCF COM Medical Student Admissions Committee that has not already been addressed in your AMCAS application? You may also use this section to include information about your family, personal interests, hobbies, and travels that have not already been discussed in your AMCAS application. Please provide details about NEW information for the Committee to consider to include information about your family, personal interests, hobbies, and travels that have not already been discussed on your AMCAS application.
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Also posting any other free-text style questions that are asked would be great as someone mentioned above. I'm hoping to prewrite this secondary next since it's fairly long! Thanks so much 🙂
 
ewelling said:
yayyyyyyy!!!! Me too! I wonder what percentage of aorta applicants actually get interviews.
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+1

So a little confused on this status. Does this mean we have made the first cut but a decision has not been made about if we will be invited for interview or not?
 
gobigorgohome22 said:
+1

So a little confused on this status. Does this mean we have made the first cut but a decision has not been made about if we will be invited for interview or not?
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From my understanding, this is equivalent to a "small pool" that other schools use. Basically, a subcommittee (3 separate members at UCF) sifts through all of our applications and either puts us in the "potential interview pile" or "not competitive for interview pile." If we're in the "potential interview pile" we are "EFI" and our apps will be considered throughout the application cycle for an interview.

It looks like during the 2011-2012 app cycle, there were 1,100 EFI applicants and 409 interview invites. I don't know how much this has changed since then, but I recall REL mentioning ~400 interviews is what they are shooting for! Someone please correct me if I have this wrong!
 
BundleofHis said:
From my understanding, this is equivalent to a "small pool" that other schools use. Basically, a subcommittee (3 separate members at UCF) sifts through all of our applications and either puts us in the "potential interview pile" or "not competitive for interview pile." If we're in the "potential interview pile" we are "EFI" and our apps will be considered throughout the application cycle for an interview.

It looks like during the 2011-2012 app cycle, there were 1,100 EFI applicants and 409 interview invites. I don't know how much this has changed since then, but I recall REL mentioning ~400 interviews is what they are shooting for! Someone please correct me if I have this wrong!
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I though everyone that got EFI got an interview? Doesn't EFI stand for eligible for interview?
 
azngujuonfire said:
It's a phone call for interview? Crap lol. Oh also when did you submit your secondary?
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Yeah, phone call for II. Email for rejection. hahah I sure hope I'm right about all of this because this is all just stuff I've been able to deduce.

I submitted my secondary on 7/10. Got the complete email on 7/17.
 
No one's willing to weigh in on the length requirements for the essays?
 
Submitted 7/22
AORTA status 7/27

Hope to hear something in another week or two!!
 
I don't think I was ever this happy seeing the word AORTA in my whole life 🙂
Yay UCF! I'm so excited!
 
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"An Admissions Office Review Team for Applicants (AORTA) will begin a full review of your entire application to consider you for an interview. All files that meet or exceed our minimum 3.0/24 requirements will be fully reviewed, carefully looking for the motivations, talents, and skills that we desire for the members of the next class. We anticipate that this review may take up to 10-15 business days to complete. The result of the individual AORTA review will be either "eligible for interview selection (EFI)" or "not competitive" for an interview."

is that the aorta email?
 
gocanes1990 said:
"An Admissions Office Review Team for Applicants (AORTA) will begin a full review of your entire application to consider you for an interview. All files that meet or exceed our minimum 3.0/24 requirements will be fully reviewed, carefully looking for the motivations, talents, and skills that we desire for the members of the next class. We anticipate that this review may take up to 10-15 business days to complete. The result of the individual AORTA review will be either "eligible for interview selection (EFI)" or "not competitive" for an interview."

is that the aorta email?
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I believe that is form the "complete" email. You dont get an email for AORTA status. It just shows up on your application status (same place you submitted your secondary).
 
gobigorgohome22 said:
I believe that is form the "complete" email. You dont get an email for AORTA status. It just shows up on your application status (same place you submitted your secondary).
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how long did people from this email to aorta?
 
This is a lengthy response to Rel's previous observations about USF MCOM. So I know that this will look a little bit petty since I'm just clearly snooping around forums, but I must offer some of the USF MCOM insight into Rel's "candid observations." However, if someone is going to secretly bad mouth my school and give limited information that will lead to false assumptions then of course I need to clear things up. And to preface myself so this does not sound like a rant from a bitter person, I am a currently a student at USF MCOM, but I was accepted to UCF COM when applying (with a 35R and 3.7 GPA so I had choices), and turned them down (but I will get to that later).

First off, Rel makes completely valid points about our FORMER dean, meaning he has left and no longer influences things at USF, a lot of his efforts seemed misguided, and they did ruffle a lot of feathers. Practitioners in the area had made this known, and we wish our dean the best of luck in his future endeavors. We now have an interim dean who is a USF Health Neurosurgeon, and we are beginning our national search for a new dean which is composed of a panel of students, practitioners, and people of the community. This is a large fact that Rel didn't feel needed mentioning I suppose.

Next, I find the use of the word "deterioration" to be a little dramatic when referring to USF's hospital relations. TGH could not function without the USF residents, and a new CEO at TGH and a new leadership here already highlight a stronger relationship between us. I had not personally heard that UF was moving in on Moffitt. A google search shows that the two did partner in 2008 to make a cancer research program for UF in Gainesville, but little has come of the relationship since (I couldn't find any news stories). USF Residents and medical students still continue to be a large working force at this hospital as well. Making us the only school in the state affiliated with Primary Cancer Center Hospital. I do believe UCF only shares space with MD Anderson or that's all I could find… Finally, All Children's is now affiliated with Johns Hopkins, but they did in 2012 renew an 8-year contract with USF health which to me does not sound like deterioration. Also, the partnership with Lakeland Regional was a brain child of our former dean, but it was spearheaded by one of our most ambitious students with the good intention of creating more GME spots since Florida and the nation are in desperate need of them. Not to mention, Rel also forgot to talk about how our partnership with the Haley VA (the busiest VA in the nation), and Bay Pines VA (the largest VA in the nation) are still fundamentally strong. And one last thing… CAMLS is pretty cool there is no denying it, and it is being incorporated into our clinical training as well. So Rel, you may still live in Tampa, but it seems like you've missed a couple of news stories.

I cannot fully comment on the positives and negatives of select, but I absolutely know that the statement about USF not having clinical space is untrue since the CORE class is still the same size as it always was.

Finally, since Rel very honestly commented on his issues with USF, I will make the same observations about why I did not choose UCF. During my interview day, I was deterred by the fact that current students were making blatant comments about how they disliked the other class years. The environment produced by current students on my interview day did not seem supportive at all. The use of a A-F grading system at UCF also discouraged me because students commented on how cut throat it could be, and even the admissions employees said the need for grades was to prove that UCF was providing a quality medical education. Finally, the idea of the medical city, and the growth that UCF is trying to achieve made me feel as if I would be a means to an end. That I might get overlooked as part of a bigger picture which is a huge problem, I'll admit, that I had with our FORMER dean. Classmates of mine who were also accepted to UCF also spoke of similar feelings at their UCF interview day. I also found some of the employees at UCF to be off-putting in a professional sense. I distinctly remember one trying to talk to me about binge drinking (which I have no problem with, but on an interview day it seemed out of place&#8230😉 Also, I find bad-mouthing on informal website forums for recruiting efforts to be in slightly bad taste and immature. It seems like an admissions committee should be more interested in selling their own program instead of highlighting the faults of another. Kind of middle school-esque if you ask me. Finally, money is always an issue, and while USF doesn't have the luxury of being a new school that the state throws crazy amounts of money at, all of us will be in debt at the end, and we are lucky enough to be entering a career that will allow us to pay this back. We also got that huge donation from the Morsanis in 2012 for a big fancy new school which is exciting. The big thing that matters for this incredibly stressful four years is where you feel that you will thrive! I chose USF because I am truly a part of a family here where there is always support for me, and our medical education has been tried and tested over the years. We also match very well which was appealing to me too. I have no doubt both programs produce wonderful doctors, but I found a better fit in Tampa.

Yes, USF MCOM, has had a few rough years, but our fundamentals have not changed, and I feel that I am receiving a superiorly quality education in a program that is adapting to the rapidly changing field of healthcare. Our faculty and staff are changing some (not everyone was so awful here as Rel insinuated, we have a great deal of awesome faculty and staff), and I am confident that we will find a new Dean who is devoted to our medical education, because Rel was right, people were not happy, and we are clearly going to search for someone who will make us happy!!!

Well thank you for sticking with me until here. I know this was long, but I am very passionate about the great education I am receiving here at USF, and I want people to know the truth about it. I hope my observations are helpful, and don't come across as petty. As you can see by the length of this post I am very proud of my school and the education I am receiving. I just know all the facts were not presented in Rel's paragraph so I thought I could help clear things up some for all of you. Best of luck in the interview process! Medicine really is the best thing you can go into as a career no matter where you get your education!
 
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