2015-2016 University of Texas - Galveston Application Thread

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almond2 said:
II just now for 11/20!
Received application complete email beginning of August. 68 LizzyM

edit: what are the interviews here like?
Click to expand...

We were assured during the interview day at UTMB that they would be relaxed and conversational, and to notify admissions if they were anything else. From talking with other applicants and looking at this thread, most of them were. However, some of us had rather.. unpleasant experiences with the interviewers that are described in more detail here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...r-needs-to-leave.1133858/page-4#post-17073818
 
almond2 said:
II just now for 11/20!
Received application complete email beginning of August. 68 LizzyM

edit: what are the interviews here like?
Click to expand...

Wow I received application complete email early August as well.........hoping to receive II from UTMB.
 
almond2 said:
II just now for 11/20!
Received application complete email beginning of August. 68 LizzyM

edit: what are the interviews here like?
Click to expand...

I interviewed here last Saturday. From what I gathered, if you interview with *anyone* on the admissions committee, it will be a more stressful interview. They hold interviews in the AM and in the PM (you will do one or the other, not both), with the tour filling in the space where you are not interviewing.

I had one Ph.D and one MD (a surgeon) and my interviewers were both very friendly and easy to talk to - especially the surgeon, who was very comfortable to say the least. I was asked some standard questions ("Why medicine?") as well as some very general questions about myself and my background, and I asked quite a few questions myself. They were volunteer interviewers. From those I heard from that talked to people on the actual committee, it was stressful and more thorough.

Its a double edged sword, because obviously making an impression on those that actually make the decisions is preferable but at the same time they are not easy to impress!

Interviewers will *not* have access to your GPA and MCAT scores, so your record is not on display. They are doing character assessments, and asking more general questions about medicine that are not necessarily connected to your intellectual competence.

Best of Luck - Ask if you have another question.
 
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JBL15TX said:
I interviewed here last Saturday. From what I gathered, if you interview with *anyone* on the admissions committee, it will be a stress interview. They hold interviews in the AM and in the PM (you will do one or the other, not both), with the tour filling in the space where you are not interviewing.

I had one Ph.D and one MD (a surgeon) as my interviewers that were both very friendly and easy to talk to - especially the surgeons, who was very comfortable to say the least. I was asked some standard questions ("Why medicine?") as well as some very general questions about myself and my background, and I asked quite a few questions myself. They were volunteer interviewers. From those I heard from that talked to people on the actual committee, it was stressful and more thorough.

Its a double edged sword, because obviously making an impression on those that actually make the decisions is preferable but at the same time they are not easy to impress!

Interviewers will *not* have access to your GPA and MCAT scores, so your record is not on display. They are doing character assessments, and asking more general questions about medicine that are not necessarily connected to your intellectual competence.

Best of Luck - Ask if you have another question.
Click to expand...

+1. I had one very laid back interviewer that repeatedly told me he had no say in the decision-making process. We had great conversation! My other interview on the other hand was definitely a stress interview that lasted almost an hour. I won't go into details on here, but be prepared for it and don't freak out like I did. If you know that's what's happening then you won't be as shocked as I was lol!
 
JBL15TX said:
I interviewed here last Saturday. From what I gathered, if you interview with *anyone* on the admissions committee, it will be a more stressful interview. They hold interviews in the AM and in the PM (you will do one or the other, not both), with the tour filling in the space where you are not interviewing.

I had one Ph.D and one MD (a surgeon) as my interviewers that were both very friendly and easy to talk to - especially the surgeon, who was very comfortable to say the least. I was asked some standard questions ("Why medicine?") as well as some very general questions about myself and my background, and I asked quite a few questions myself. They were volunteer interviewers. From those I heard from that talked to people on the actual committee, it was stressful and more thorough.

Its a double edged sword, because obviously making an impression on those that actually make the decisions is preferable but at the same time they are not easy to impress!

Interviewers will *not* have access to your GPA and MCAT scores, so your record is not on display. They are doing character assessments, and asking more general questions about medicine that are not necessarily connected to your intellectual competence.

Best of Luck - Ask if you have another question.
Click to expand...

I had no idea about the style being different based on whether the interviewer was on the adcom or not. Makes sense, I suppose. I'll also add that both of mine, one with an MD, the other a PhD, were incredibly relaxed - no "why medicine" or any of the more typical questions. Each of them were pretty chatty, so both ran almost an hour long.
 
Ahh thanks guys!! Also did y'all stay at a hotel or in the student housing?
 
almond2 said:
Ahh thanks guys!! Also did y'all stay at a hotel or in the student housing?
Click to expand...
I stayed at a hotel. A number of them were having some sort of promotion at the time, so it didn't break the bank.
 
almond2 said:
Ahh thanks guys!! Also did y'all stay at a hotel or in the student housing?
Click to expand...
I stayed with a student host. She was awesome. However, hotels in Galveston are also super cheap, so I'm guessing the price difference isn't huge.
 
Is the pre-interview event mandatory? I can only attention my actual interview on Friday . Will my chances at acceptance get limited If I do not attend the pre- interview social?
 
Jeremy2019 said:
Is the pre-interview event mandatory? I can only attention my actual interview on Friday . Will my chances at acceptance get limited If I do not attend the pre- interview social?
Click to expand...

Of course not! It does not affect you in any way - no adcoms will be there.
 
navigator said:
Seeking input from a current student here --

I've found a lot of info online about curriculum and lifestyle here but not much about research. Is that emphasized? I noticed that many students research at the Galveston National Laboratory, but are there any established outlets for research?
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MS1 here. Research is probably emphasized here more than the average medical school in Texas. UTMB is 3rd in the state behind Baylor and UTSW in NIH funding.

A student's involvement in research is really up to their discretion. There is the Galveston National Laboratory, but many students also do clinical or science research with professors (MDs and PhDs) they have met at UTMB in the past or through various research programs.

Two popular programs for research are the Transnational Research Track and the Medical School Summer Research Program (MSSRP).

UTMB has a various selection of tracks of scholarly concentrations, including the Translational Research Track. Think of them as sort of "minors" in college. You can learn more about all of them here: http://www.utmb.edu/oce/Tracks.asp

And MSSRP is an 8-week summer research program that takes place after your first year of medical school. The 8 weeks culminate in a poster presentation. Some students get publications, others do not. Either way, it's a great program to get a start in research (you can continue with the lab after the program, and many students do) and also earn elective credit toward your 4th year of medical school.

To conclude, research is really easy to get involved with at UTMB. You don't even have to be a part of any program or track. You can simply email or meet a professor and get involved in research that way.

Jeremy2019 said:
Is the pre-interview event mandatory? I can only attention my actual interview on Friday . Will my chances at acceptance get limited If I do not attend the pre- interview social?
Click to expand...

No, the night-before social is by no means necessary. However, if you are able to make it to the event, I encourage you to go, as the medical students there are very friendly and can answer any questions you might have about UTMB or Galveston. Also, free food!

But just to reiterate, attending/not attending the event does not affect your chances at all.
 
Is it just me or does this school never pick up its calls?
 
Around what time does the interview day end? I couldn't find this info in the email.
Thanks 🙂
 
Does anyone know if there are any circumstances under which they will consider rescheduling an interview? They offered me a spot the exact same day as my UT Houston one, and at this point I would hate to turn down an II. I had to turn down a last-minute invite from Houston to get my current interview date, so I feel it would be impolite to reschedule with them.
 
Although the letter says no, they do.. ask for an earlier date rather than later if you can and see what happens.
 
Depends on your situation - school finals, work scheduled travel, in the area if you are too far from houston, and so on. I don't know what your dates look like but Galveston usually gives a date 4-6 weeks in advance requiring confirmation only 2 weeks in advance. So the person you are supposed to confirm to - that person has the leeway to adjust.
 
hs1021 said:
Does anyone know if there are any circumstances under which they will consider rescheduling an interview? They offered me a spot the exact same day as my UT Houston one, and at this point I would hate to turn down an II. I had to turn down a last-minute invite from Houston to get my current interview date, so I feel it would be impolite to reschedule with them.
Click to expand...

Just tell them that you have a prior commitment on the day of your scheduled interview and that you cannot make that date, and would like to have a different interview date.

Typically, changing interview dates is pretty easy. Obviously, it is not encouraged, but you have a valid excuse to reschedule your original interview date. This type of thing happens pretty frequently during interview season. Let us know how it goes!
 
InsertMemberNameHere said:
Just tell them that you have a prior commitment on the day of your scheduled interview and that you cannot make that date, and would like to have a different interview date.

Typically, changing interview dates is pretty easy. Obviously, it is not encouraged, but you have a valid excuse to reschedule your original interview date. This type of thing happens pretty frequently during interview season. Let us know how it goes!
Click to expand...
So I sent them an email saying that I was very interested but had a scheduling conflict with that date, and was told to provide further detail because they don't typically reschedule. My school advisor said not to mention having another interview, but I'm not sure what to tell them. A&M did not ask for any details when I rescheduled with them in July. There's only one interview date after the one I was offered, so if anyone has an idea on how to respond, please let me know!
 
@hs1021 I think it depends on how comfortable you are with lying. You could say there's an meeting or event you're responsible for. Or maybe if you're traveling, you can cite price as an issue since its short notice. Your advisor didn't tell you what to say?
 
hs1021 said:
So I sent them an email saying that I was very interested but had a scheduling conflict with that date, and was told to provide further detail because they don't typically reschedule. My school advisor said not to mention having another interview, but I'm not sure what to tell them. A&M did not ask for any details when I rescheduled with them in July. There's only one interview date after the one I was offered, so if anyone has an idea on how to respond, please let me know!
Click to expand...
mia123 said:
@hs1021 I think it depends on how comfortable you are with lying. You could say there's an meeting or event you're responsible for. Or maybe if you're traveling, you can cite price as an issue since its short notice. Your advisor didn't tell you what to say?
Click to expand...
Just tell them that you scheduled an interview at UT Houston that day and you can't reschedule it. However you are very interested in UT Galveston and you'd appreciate any date that isn't that one...
Why would you lie??
 
@hs1021 hey so I saw your predicament, and I agree with @idontknowwhatnametopick and say honesty is the best policy. Your story is perfect no need to lie! Say you already had rescheduled UTH for that day and can't reschedule twice and then add that you are very interested in Galveston etc I think it'll be fine! They can't fault you for that they should understand that rescheduling twice would be a big deal
Anyways good luck! Hope it all goes well!
 
hs1021 said:
So I sent them an email saying that I was very interested but had a scheduling conflict with that date, and was told to provide further detail because they don't typically reschedule. My school advisor said not to mention having another interview, but I'm not sure what to tell them. A&M did not ask for any details when I rescheduled with them in July. There's only one interview date after the one I was offered, so if anyone has an idea on how to respond, please let me know!
Click to expand...

Just be forthcoming and honest. The majority of the time, schools will let you easily reschedule if you tell them you have a scheduling conflict. But since they are pressing you for more details, just be honest with them and tell them that you have another interview date on that same day. A courteous, professional, and straight-forward response is best.

I'd speculate that they are pressing for more details because there is only one interview date after your scheduled date.

Let us know how it goes. It will all work out! Good luck!
 
@hs1021 well I figured there was a valid reason as to why your advisor said not to mention the other interview so I was thinking of alternatives to identifying the other interview. Maybe he meant with the initial request?

You can tell the truth, but I was interpreting your ask as a suggestion for an alternative response. Not at all saying you *should* lie. However, I don't think you can evade the question - you have to tell them something (unless a skilled word master can offer amazing phrasing!).

If there's only one more date being offered, I'm guessing they've sent out all of their II..?
 
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MD2025 said:
Do you guys think UTMB will send out their first batch of pre-match offers on 11/15 or wait until this Monday during business hours?
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they don't send out pre-matches on weekends. keep an eye on your email Monday morning, best of luck to all.
 
MD2025 said:
Do you guys think UTMB will send out their first batch of pre-match offers on 11/15 or wait until this Monday during business hours?
Click to expand...

My guess is that they will send out pre-match offers on 11/15.

They could very well do things differently this year (especially since it is on a Sunday), but I'd guess that they will send out their pre-match offers on 11/15.

Last year, they also sent out a second round of pre-match offers on 12/17. So, if you don't pre-match tomorrow, don't give up hope because there will likely be another (albeit smaller) round of pre-match offers in mid-December, and then there is always the match on February 1st.

Good luck to everyone! I know you are nervous, but it's going to be okay. If you don't pre-match, don't be too hard on yourself. The vast majority of people aren't accepted/don't know where they are going to medical school until the match.
 
InsertMemberNameHere said:
Just be forthcoming and honest. The majority of the time, schools will let you easily reschedule if you tell them you have a scheduling conflict. But since they are pressing you for more details, just be honest with them and tell them that you have another interview date on that same day. A courteous, professional, and straight-forward response is best.

I'd speculate that they are pressing for more details because there is only one interview date after your scheduled date.

Let us know how it goes. It will all work out! Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks for your help! To clarify for everyone else, I wasn't saying that I intended to be dishonest, I was just confused when my advisor seemed adamant about not mentioning other interviews. I didn't know if bringing up other interviews was some sort of medical school faux pas. I'm waiting to hear back from UTMB after following up, so hopefully they will be able to fit me in on 12/11. Sounds like a great school!
 
I've poked around on the previous years' threads a bit and elsewhere online but can't seem to find a definitive answer...does anyone know when us OOS-ers can expect to hear anything back?
 
Galveston is the only Texas school which provides a fixed date but also mentions the dates are not allowed to change. However, the person who is confirming the date has some leeway to accept other dates, especially earlier ones.
 
Did anyone that interviewed on 10/9 get in? Wondering where my chances stand. LizzyM = 80.6 (at least using a sort of LizzyM 2.0 formula for the new MCAT scores), felt like interviews were a bit of a mixed bag.
 
renaissancerebel said:
Did anyone that interviewed on 10/9 get in? Wondering where my chances stand. LizzyM = 80.6 (at least using a sort of LizzyM 2.0 formula for the new MCAT scores), felt like interviews were a bit of a mixed bag.
Click to expand...
I interviewed that day, and didn't prematch here. Mine felt pretty good to me, but it's likely that neither of them were members of the adcom - not that that's the reason I haven't heard from them. Who knows!
 
unparapluie said:
I interviewed that day, and didn't prematch here. Mine felt pretty good to me, but it's likely that neither of them were members of the adcom - not that that's the reason I haven't heard from them. Who knows!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the feedback. Maybe this is a silly question, but how can you guess whether or not your interviewers were members of the adcom? Also, I've heard that UTMB does a second batch of pre-matches in mid-December. Hoping to be in that pool, I guess.
 
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