2015-2016 Rosalind Franklin University Application Thread

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Mr. Bones said:
Thank for posting this. Seems like the interprofessional curriculum isn't stressed as much as I thought it would be. What would be your top 2-3 things about RFUMS? Seems like there are lots of clerkship opportunities during 3rd and 4th year.
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You hit the nail on the head. The 3rd and fourth year rotations are a fantastic chance to learn more about a wide array of practice settings. Notably, however, the environment isn't really academic. There are some incredible teachers, but your experience may vary by the specific person you're on service with.

Rotating at the county hospital is a great privilege, and advocate Christ serves a similar population, though the socioeconomic spectrum is a bit broader there. Lutheran is your classic white and upper middle class set, but still tends to serve working class people quite a bit and has a fair number of undocumented immigrants. I've found the teaching, particularly on the medicine service, to be fantastic.

So seriously, great clinical experiences are the reason to come here. Not the extracurriculars or the Y1/Y2 curriculum (your goal is to SURVIVE those years; they're mostly taught by PhDs who have never evaluated a patient!), both of which, again, are very similar to those of other medical schools.
 
coldcase331 said:
What if you were complete 7/17?
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It seems like they aren't necessarily going exactly in order, so just be patient. Don't assume you aren't getting an II unless you've gotten a rejection.
 
I know they interview around 800 and there incoming class is 190, but does anybody have an actual number of how many they accept?
 
Tippyboat said:
Hi everyone,

I posted this question in the RFU thread but have gotten zero responses, so I thought I'd try it here since there is more traffic. I'd really appreciate any insight, especially since I probably won't be able to afford going to second looks. Thanks!

Original post:

It is very important to me to make good friends in medical school and be a part of a cohesive class, which is why I'm kind of concerned about choosing RFU because I did not get a good social vibe while I was there (compared to other schools). I realize I was only there for a few hours on one day, so I'm hoping current students can shed some light on the situation.

One of the factors seem to be where everyone lives. If I were to go there, it would be for family reasons and I will probably choose to live far from campus (more toward the city). Since I will be commuting, will that make it hard to make friends? I am a perfectly social person and have no problem building relationships, I'm just wondering if the people who commute to school are still well integrated into the community.

I understand RFU offers a great education, but as discussed previously, there's stigma associated with it and I can't help but think it must dampen the atmosphere to have a place be everyone's last choice. I'm not going to lie, I will probably go to my other choices if family situations are willing, but if I were to go to RFU, I would be all for it and would hope everyone else were too. I went to an undergrad with no school spirit and I just want to be somewhere where peopel are EXCITED to be.

Are there social events regularly organized for the class?

When people move downtown in the last 2 years, do they still stay in close touch/hang out with people in their class? That seems like a test for friendships. If they still do, that's great.



Lastly and this is off topic, RFU is LCME certified for the next 8 years right?

Thank you so much for any relevant information!
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^this is from a thread that was posted in 2010 and never responded to. any current students care to weigh in?
 
piii said:
Jesus, I don't really think it was necessary for you to even bring this post up. There is a reason it wasn't answered in the first place. What response are you hoping to get?

It's dramatized. Everyone should be grateful to get into medical school and a few people really get to choose their top choices. Even if it isn't the school everyone is dying to go to, most people are adults and will be content getting their medical education. They will still mostly enjoy themselves and carry on with their lives, making friends, socializing, having fun when there is time. It's not like the school is a soul sucking experience, and bringing this up seems to only serve as some tactless instigation.
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Sorry, I didn't mean to instigate. The quoted post has more of a troll-like tone than I would have used, but I think these are all completely legitimate questions that I'll be asking (in some form or another) at all schools. And I was too lazy to type them all out.
 
parachichi said:
Sorry, I didn't mean to instigate. The quoted post has more of a troll-like tone than I would have used, but I think these are all completely legitimate questions that I'll be asking (in some form or another) at all schools. And I was too lazy to type them all out.
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Yeah, a simple "how is the social scene at RF? Do the students enjoy going there?" would have sufficed haha, that post is so intense.
 
So what is the answer? Do student enjoy the social life? Is there a student club or support system that focuses on moms or students with children?
 
Just got a complete email...submitted all materials 8/10.
 
Finally got the complete email as well - had everything in to them by 8/8.
 
Does any one know if this school has any global health tracking? Or if medical students get involved in medical mission trips out side of US?
 
^hmm meant to edit my first comment...not sure what went wrong.
 
cactusinmyhead said:
Does Rosalind Franklin have an MMI type interview?? Yikes!!
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It is MMI at CMS interviews. But maybe it's not so bad. I mean, you get 8 chances to impress and really, we should be able to think fast and communicate orally as well as have opinions on the topics they ask. I'm kind of looking forward to it!
 
Thank you so much ! That was very helpful!
 
parachichi said:
^this is from a thread that was posted in 2010 and never responded to. any current students care to weigh in?
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There are some legitimate questions in the quoted post, especially if one is looking to establish a lasting professional/social network in med school.

piii said:
Jesus, I don't really think it was necessary for you to even bring this post up. There is a reason it wasn't answered in the first place. What response are you hoping to get?

It's dramatized. Everyone should be grateful to get into medical school and a few people really get to choose their top choices. Even if it isn't the school everyone is dying to go to, most people are adults and will be content getting their medical education. They will still mostly enjoy themselves and carry on with their lives, making friends, socializing, having fun when there is time. It's not like the school is a soul sucking experience, and bringing this up seems to only serve as some tactless instigation.
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It's "dramatized," as you put it, to say "everyone should be grateful to get into medical school," considering you're going to be paying >$200,000 ex opportunity costs/living expenses, especially in the context of CMS (which you admit is not many students' first choice).

Sure med school is essentially a licensing program, but everyone wants to be in an environment where they will thrive. If prospective students want to know if commuting will affect their ability to network, answer the question, don't be a d!ck.
 
parachichi said:
^this is from a thread that was posted in 2010 and never responded to. any current students care to weigh in?
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While classes are not mandatory, there are various labs and sessions that require M1 to be on campus many times a week. M2s have a litlte more freedom, but there are still mandatory sessions. I would not recommend living too far from campus the first year. While it can be done, it is going to be very tedious and time-consuming (taking away valuable study time). I commute from an area closer than the city, and would not want to be any further.

As for the social aspect. It'll be what you make out of it. Obviously if you stay off campus as much as you can, your social life will suffer. However if you make the effort to come up, study with a group of friends, then you'll be just fine. We have plenty of clubs and school-related events for people to socialize. We even have a house system (the whole class is divided into 4) where a physician mentor will take their house out to different events such as dinner, bowling, or BBQs. There are also many opportunities to go out during the weekends especially after exams. The best way to stay involved is to join a club and check Facebook for different events. There's so many that I choose to ignore most of them. Again, how social you want to be.
 
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cysticduct said:
While classes are not mandatory, there are various labs and sessions that require M1 to be on campus many times a week. M2s have a litlte more freedom, but there are still mandatory sessions. I would not recommend living too far from campus the first year. While it can be done, it is going to be very tedious and time-consuming (taking away valuable study time). I commute from an area 20minutes away, and would not want to be any further.

As for the social aspect. It'll be what you make out of it. Obviously if you stay off campus as much as you can, your social life will suffer. However if you make the effort to come up, study with a group of friends, then you'll be just fine. We have plenty of clubs and school-related events for people to socialize. We even have a house system (the whole class is divided into 4) where a physician mentor will take their house out to different events such as dinner, bowling, or BBQs. There are also many opportunities to go out during the weekends especially after exams. The best way to stay involved is to join a club and check Facebook for different events. There's so many that I choose to ignore most of them. Again, how social you want to be.
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Super helpful, thank you 🙂
 
Warrenc said:
I think today was the first day of interviews... Anyone who went care to shed some info?

Hope it went well! 🙂
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It was good! All of the other interviewees and current students seemed really nice, and the facilities were impressive. The biggest drawbacks for me were two-fold: 1) the curriculum and 2) the mission of the school.

The students take up to 10 classes during the same Trimester, there aren't any free individual tutoring resources, and there are a lot of required labs that yield an 8am-4pm day in class alone many days of the week. As for the mission, when I asked any faculty or student "why RFUMS" I got this very circumvented but essentially identical response of "it was my only option, but it gets the job done well". That was my vibe after interviewing--definitely a good school with plenty of opportunity, friendly people, and a beautiful campus, but very little cohesive sense of excitement or purpose in an RFUMS education specifically.
 
I'm interviewing at Rush on a Wednesday in October and I have couple questions on the art of the 'in the area email':
Is it too early in the cycle to send this sort of email? I received a complete email on 8/24.
Does RFUMS interview on Tuesday or Thursday and do they have any interview slots available for October?
 
bananabreadhunter said:
I'm interviewing at Rush on a Wednesday in October and I have couple questions on the art of the 'in the area email':
Is it too early in the cycle to send this sort of email? I received a complete email on 8/24.
Does RFUMS interview on Tuesday or Thursday and do they have any interview slots available for October?
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We do not interview Tuesdays or Thursdays.
 
I can weigh in on the social situation/cohesiveness that another poster commented about. I graduated from CMS'15

Speaking for my class you definitely grow very close to your classmates especially in Anatomy Class (1st year) where everyone is slaving away in the same room for the same goal. There are alot of other classes in M1,2 for you to get close to your classmates. You also grow close to your classmates during M3 year when you rotate with them usually like 10-15 students per rotations. M4 year is hectic as everyone moves off into different directions.

On orientation day you will also get to know your classmates

Also you don't have to move away in M3 or M4 year I know of a few classmates that stay behind and choose to do rotations around RFUMS area.

When you are not studying RFUMS has great, clean facilities to workout and hangout (studnet lounge, etc.). I will say that with the influx of so many new students from the new programs facilities were crowded last year not sure how it is this year. They also had the party bus organized after every exam (we had exams every 2 weeks)

So definitely I was say the community is pretty good since the entire school is literally just one building and the facilities are immaculate/clean

There are a ton of clubs, etc. etc. and many free lunches/dinners throughout the year to get to know your classmates as well.

So to summarize yes you will grow close with your classmates maily in anatomy class, M3 clinical rotations, orientation-day. RFUMS has great/clean/immaculate facilities to work out. And there are a ton of clubs/activities that you can organize with your classmates
 
Sorry for the rejections guys 🙁. I haven't heard anything yet from this school and I'm afraid a rejection notice will come my way.
 
golfman7 said:
Sorry for the rejections guys 🙁. I haven't heard anything yet from this school and I'm afraid a rejection notice will come my way.
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Well, just keep positive until you hear! I was surprised to see how many applicants there are to this school, and how few actually get an II. From the last 2 year's MSAR data:

2015 - 9% IS
2014 – 21% IS

2015 – 4.4% OOS
2014 – 3.1% OOS​
 
2015istheYear said:
Well, just keep positive until you hear! I was surprised to see how many applicants there are to this school, and how few actually get an II. From the last 2 year's MSAR data:

2015 - 9% IS
2014 – 21% IS

2015 – 4.4% OOS
2014 – 3.1% OOS​
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I think those numbers are inaccurate. They actually interview closer to ~900-100 people.
 
I think this question has already been asked but I can't find it so I am going to ask again. Does anyone know what the curriculum at RFUMS is like? I was looking through the website and it looks like they are in the process of getting a new curriculum approved and newly matriculated students will be taught with the new curriculum if it is approved but I wanted to know what exactly is the current curriculum? Thanks!
 
chocoholicsoxfan said:
I think those numbers are inaccurate. They actually interview closer to ~900-100 people.
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It's definitely accurate. From the 2016 MSAR:

CMS_2016_MSAR.png
 
Ok well I interviewed last Friday and the adcom said "last year we interviewed just under 1000 people" and a current student also stated that also earlier in this thread.

I have the MSAR too. It's just wrong sometimes.
 
chocoholicsoxfan said:
Ok well I interviewed last Friday and the adcom said "last year we interviewed just under 1000 people" and a current student also stated that also earlier in this thread.

I have the MSAR too. It's just wrong sometimes.
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Meh, I don't know, maybe but I have been assured from AAMC that those numbers stated in MSAR are correct. The schools sometimes tell you they interviewed more than they really did... but whatever. Congrats on your interview. Hope all went great!
 
So it's possible that the MSAR data is before they implemented the MMI style of interview which I believe someone has already pointed out earlier in this thread. MMI style of interviewing allows them to interview a lot more people. Either way just focus on getting an interview and eventually an acceptance.
 
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