2015-2016 University of Texas - Galveston Application Thread

[vneuro]

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A significant portion of the pre-clinical curriculum at most texas medical schools relies on independent study. I've never understood the hoopla about step 1 scores. Baylor has high step 1 scores because Baylor admits people with high MCAT scores (35+). A&M has low scores because they tend to admit students with low MCAT scores (<32). Sure, step 1 scores correlate to the quality of the pre-clinical curriculum to an extent, but at the end of the day it's about the caliber of the student at these institutions.

Someone with a low MCAT score isn't magically going to do super well on Step 1 just by going to baylor, unless he or she works much harder in medical school compared to undergrad (at least when it comes to studying for the USMLE versus hours/effort put in studying for the MCAT).

 

[vneuro]

Now, I do think having a 1.5 year pre-clinical curriculum and essentially 6 months off for USMLE Step 1 study time is strongly correlated with step 1 scores, but that shouldn't come as a surprise. I'm a huge fan of the 1.5 year pre-clincial set up.

 

[w0rldw3y3d]

Now, I do think having a 1.5 year pre-clinical curriculum and essentially 6 months off for USMLE Step 1 study time is strongly correlated with step 1 scores, but that shouldn't come as a surprise. I'm a huge fan of the 1.5 year pre-clincial set up.

You should check out Dell's curriculum, it's sexy. 1 year pre-clinical, 1 year clinical, step-1, research year, step-2, and fourth is exactly the same as every they school.

 

[w0rldw3y3d]

Maybe not, but I'm just relaying what they told us at our interview day.

EDIT: Last year PLFSOM's Avg was 235, so not above UTSW but still higher then most of the other schools. And their average MCAT of matriculated students is lower then most of the other schools as well. So then wouldn't it be Baylor, UTSW, PLFSOM, UTH, UTMB....?

Haven't seen these numbers. If that's true then they had a really hard working class!

 

[vneuro]

You should check out Dell's curriculum, it's sexy. 1 year pre-clinical, 1 year clinical, step-1, research year, step-2, and fourth is exactly the same as every they school.

I agree. Dell is going to be an incredibly strong school. Its association with UT Austin can't be overstated. UT Austin is elite in a number of STEM fields. It's a research powerhouse with endless amounts of opportunity for those who want it.

 

[Cookie04]

A significant portion of the pre-clinical curriculum at most texas medical schools relies on independent study. I've never understood the hoopla about step 1 scores. Baylor has high step 1 scores because Baylor admits people with high MCAT scores (35+). A&M has low scores because they tend to admit students with low MCAT scores (<32). Sure, step 1 scores correlate to the quality of the pre-clinical curriculum to an extent, but at the end of the day it's about the caliber of the student at these institutions.

Someone with a low MCAT score isn't magically going to do super well on Step 1 just by going to baylor, unless he or she works much harder in medical school compared to undergrad (at least when it comes to studying for the USMLE versus hours/effort put in studying for the MCAT).

So should step scores be discounted when selecting a school? I've always know that UTSW and Baylor have higher step scores because of the students they are accepting, but could the curriculum and the overall more competitive enviornment contribute to step scores to the point where we should factor that in our decision? I'm just wondering if that should be a big part in my decision.

 

[pinkfairydust]

So should step scores be discounted when selecting a school? I've always know that UTSW and Baylor have higher step scores because of the students they are accepting, but could the curriculum and the overall more competitive enviornment contribute to step scores to the point where we should factor that in our decision? I'm just wondering if that should be a big part in my decision.

I've only been accepted at UTMB but in general with my experience prior to my medical school application, I would always choose the environment that I would be most happy at. This is where you will be for the next 4 years so being somewhere where you always feel stressed out and like you have to compete would be terrible.

Pick the school and city you will feel happiest. Any of the Texas schools will get you into competitive residencies if you are outgoing, work hard, and get great step scores. 🙂

 

[Skyforever]

I've only been accepted at UTMB but in general with my experience prior to my medical school application, I would always choose the environment that I would be most happy at. This is where you will be for the next 4 years so being somewhere where you always feel stressed out and like you have to compete would be terrible.

Pick the school and city you will feel happiest. Any of the Texas schools will get you into competitive residencies if you are outgoing, work hard, and get great step scores. 🙂

This is the best advice. You really shouldn't pick a school based on the average step score THEY purport.

 

[vneuro]

So should step scores be discounted when selecting a school? I've always know that UTSW and Baylor have higher step scores because of the students they are accepting, but could the curriculum and the overall more competitive enviornment contribute to step scores to the point where we should factor that in our decision? I'm just wondering if that should be a big part in my decision.

They shouldn't be outright discounted but they should be taken with a grain of salt. The fact is that every medical school in texas will provide you with an excellent education. The curriculum is largely standardized, and the fact remains that in order to do well on the Step 1 you will have to look at sources beyond what's needed to do well on your school's exams.

Every texas medical student uses First Aid. Many use some combination of Pathoma and Goljan for pathology. Every medical student uses USMLE World and maybe Kaplan Q bank.

The single most important thing to look at when choosing a medical school is whether or not you feel you'll "fit in" with the culture, and that's something you glean from interview day.

 

[vneuro]

For example one of my friends scored a 38 on his MCAT and had a 4.0. He was accepted to UTSW but he opted to go to UTHSCSA instead. Why? Because he had family at SA and he felt like it was a better fit for him. He's now a resident in pediatrics at baylor college of medicine which is what he was aiming for from the start.

 

[Cookie04]

For example one of my friends scored a 38 on his MCAT and had a 4.0. He was accepted to UTSW but he opted to go to UTHSCSA instead. Why? Because he had family at SA and he felt like it was a better fit for him. He's now a resident in pediatrics at baylor college of medicine which is what he was aiming for from the start.

Ahhh!!!! Eventhough your freinds MCAT is higher then mine (wayyyyyyy higher) this is exactly what I needed, since I'm trying to decide between those exact two schools. Thank you!

 

[vneuro]

@txMed7 this is for you



Keep truckin' brother and let us know when you hear any news!

 

[Lanoserol]

These average step scores are set predominantly by the work of the students. I'm not a fan of choosing schools based on step scores that other students made happen. I'll choose a school based on how happy and also succcessful I'll be attending the school for the next four years. Who told you guys Class of 2020 can't set a new competitive step score average. Lol.

 

[pinkfairydust]

.

 

[texan2414]

A significant portion of the pre-clinical curriculum at most texas medical schools relies on independent study. I've never understood the hoopla about step 1 scores. Baylor has high step 1 scores because Baylor admits people with high MCAT scores (35+). A&M has low scores because they tend to admit students with low MCAT scores (<32). Sure, step 1 scores correlate to the quality of the pre-clinical curriculum to an extent, but at the end of the day it's about the caliber of the student at these institutions.

Someone with a low MCAT score isn't magically going to do super well on Step 1 just by going to baylor, unless he or she works much harder in medical school compared to undergrad (at least when it comes to studying for the USMLE versus hours/effort put in studying for the MCAT).

I wouldn't disagree with you but I also wanted to point out that every school is unique in that their curriculum, support system, and their overall academic "culture" is different from another.
It is much more about the class environment as well as the ease of availability of faculty that teach the pre-clinical curriculum. There are schools where exams are set up in a way that unnecessarily stress students out and then there are schools where the stress of exams is low-key. I would put a lot of emphasis on availability of faculty as a huge factor in Step success. TTEP has half the class size of most TX schools so you have a lot more opportunity to have individualized learning experience.

A lot has to do with curriculum as well. I see a lot of TX schools moving towards 18-month science curriculum while allowing students plenty of opportunities for preceptorships.

Keep in mind the recent curriculum changes won't be translated into scores until 2017 when the current MS1s take their Step 1.

 

[texan2414]

Also @Cookie04 @vneuro @Lanoserol

I did not bring in avg step scores to discourage others from attending one institution or another. Nor did I bring them up to cross-compare schools.
The only thing Step scores tell you is how well the curriculum is at that particular school. The fact that a school has a high step avg tells me that the faculty and the curriculum committees are doing something RIGHT, nothing more! I am not going to make step 1 averages a huge factor in my rankings as well.

As many have stated, rank the schools in order of preference where you would feel you would have the greatest chance of success!!! And don't think just about the Step, clerkships, etc. Look at the teaching hospitals the program is associated with. After my TAMHSC interview, I was floored by the Scott&White facilities in Temple, TX. If I end up matriculating here, it would be an amazing opportunity for me to get a leg up on getting experience as a med student for residency programs down the road that others may not have. So definitely, think about all these things before making your final rank list.

 

[vneuro]

I wouldn't disagree with you but I also wanted to point out that every school is unique in that their curriculum, support system, and their overall academic "culture" is different from another.
It is much more about the class environment as well as the ease of availability of faculty that teach the pre-clinical curriculum. There are schools where exams are set up in a way that unnecessarily stress students out and then there are schools where the stress of exams is low-key. I would put a lot of emphasis on availability of faculty as a huge factor in Step success. TTEP has half the class size of most TX schools so you have a lot more opportunity to have individualized learning experience.

A lot has to do with curriculum as well. I see a lot of TX schools moving towards 18-month science curriculum while allowing students plenty of opportunities for preceptorships.

Keep in mind the recent curriculum changes won't be translated into scores until 2017 when the current MS1s take their Step 1.

I agree. I was a bit sloppy with my use of the word "curriculum." I really meant to say that the content learned across all texas medical schools is virtually identical. How they choose to present that content (curriculum) will differ from school to school and should play critically in the decision making process on choosing a medical school.

 

[texan2414]

I agree. I was a bit sloppy with my use of the word "curriculum." I really meant to say that the content learned across all texas medical schools is virtually identical. How they choose to present that content (curriculum) will differ from school to school and should play critically in the decision making process on choosing a medical school.

This is quite literally what my interviewer said yesterday at TAMHSC lol that whether you go to Harvard, WashU, UTMB, etc. the curriculum they teach is the same. The difference is how they present it.

 

[w0rldw3y3d]

For example one of my friends scored a 38 on his MCAT and had a 4.0. He was accepted to UTSW but he opted to go to UTHSCSA instead. Why? Because he had family at SA and he felt like it was a better fit for him. He's now a resident in pediatrics at baylor college of medicine which is what he was aiming for from the start.

This is an example of my argument that where you go to med school is not nearly as important has how you perform. Those meddling UTSW students were grilling me HARDCORE on the thread ranking UTSW, Dell, and UTH lol.

 

[Azura]

After much thought, research, comtemplation, and meditation, I've come to the conclusion that UTMB is without a question, the best. Can we all kindly just agree on that. I'm so excited!!

 

[Azura]

I got an answer for the question I had originally posted, so nevermind 🙂

 

[rederza]

.

 

[Aspire2016]

Anyone who took the new MCAT receive a pre-match?

 

[me16]

Anyone who took the new MCAT receive a pre-match?

Yep, right here.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

 

[pinkfairydust]

Anyone who pre matched on December 16 get anything in the mail yet or have TMDSAS update with their prematch?

 

[Bio4]

Anyone who pre matched on December 16 get anything in the mail yet or have TMDSAS update with their prematch?

Just got the official acceptance letter yesterday. Today I saw that TMDSAS was updated to included UTMB as a prematch.

Quick question. If I accept the position on myStar and then get match with a higher ranking school, can I decline my acceptance?

 

[Cookie04]

Just got the official acceptance letter yesterday. Today I saw that TMDSAS was updated to included UTMB as a prematch.

Quick question. If I accept the position on myStar and then get match with a higher ranking school, can I decline my acceptance?

Yes. None of the pre match acceptances are binding.

 

[PattiePie]

Any hope of prematches here before the 31st? 😍

 

[texan2414]

Any hope of prematches here before the 31st? 😍

I'm just hoping to get in on the Match Day - don't think UTMB will extend any more prematch offers.

 

[sHTX839]

I have a question about the interview process and I was hoping someone could clear things up for me. When I had my interview, I asked one of the UTMB students about how much the interview factors into the admissions decision. This student told me the interview, by their understanding, had no real impact and that it was simply for "fact checking." I thought this was really odd and it's been bugging me since my interview. It didn't help that when I was leaving my first interview, my interviewer made a comment about how she doesn't understand how they pick which students to accept and that it must be really difficult with the ranking system. The student explained to me that all students are ranked prior to their interview and that the number doesn't change much after your interview unless you completely blew them out of the park or completely bombed it. Otherwise, you stay where you're at

Sorry if I'm being super paranoid, but if anyone has any clarification on this I would really appreciate it!

 

[w0rldw3y3d]

I have a question about the interview process and I was hoping someone could clear things up for me. When I had my interview, I asked one of the UTMB students about how much the interview factors into the admissions decision. This student told me the interview, by their understanding, had no real impact and that it was simply for "fact checking." I thought this was really odd and it's been bugging me since my interview. It didn't help that when I was leaving my first interview, my interviewer made a comment about how she doesn't understand how they pick which students to accept and that it must be really difficult with the ranking system. The student explained to me that all students are ranked prior to their interview and that the number doesn't change much after your interview unless you completely blew them out of the park or completely bombed it. Otherwise, you stay where you're at

Sorry if I'm being super paranoid, but if anyone has any clarification on this I would really appreciate it!

When I interviewed they said when you made it to the interview, that's all that mattered because by virtue of making the cut your stats are sufficient. Sounded strange to me.

 

[pinkfairydust]

I have a question about the interview process and I was hoping someone could clear things up for me. When I had my interview, I asked one of the UTMB students about how much the interview factors into the admissions decision. This student told me the interview, by their understanding, had no real impact and that it was simply for "fact checking." I thought this was really odd and it's been bugging me since my interview. It didn't help that when I was leaving my first interview, my interviewer made a comment about how she doesn't understand how they pick which students to accept and that it must be really difficult with the ranking system. The student explained to me that all students are ranked prior to their interview and that the number doesn't change much after your interview unless you completely blew them out of the park or completely bombed it. Otherwise, you stay where you're at

Sorry if I'm being super paranoid, but if anyone has any clarification on this I would really appreciate it!

.

 

[TexasResident3]

That was the vibe I seemed to get, that the interview was more to check fit than to really grill us. However, when they interview 5-6 applicants for every spot in the class it seems counter-intuitive that most people who interview there will get an offer just for showing a good fit. It seems likely that there is some analysis other than saying everyone who comes to an interview is qualified, and they're only looking at fit. I wonder what the evaluation process is like and how much MCAT/GPA, ECs, and Interview play into the final decision.

Interviews, from what I've seen at every school, are to one, see your social skills and how well you communicate with strangers and two, to see who you are outside of your application. So in many ways, the interview is a very important component to see how well you fit with the school and if you can communicate under pressure. Of course not everyone who gets the interview will get an acceptance, but if you have a good interview, your chances are favorable. That being said, every school is different as to what they look for in an applicant and some schools will consider your interview more highly than other schools, etc. hence why some people receive pre-matches at one school and not another. It's a very ambiguous process and until we become part of an admissions committee, we will never know how they decide between all these awesome applicants.

 

[texan2414]

I have a question about the interview process and I was hoping someone could clear things up for me. When I had my interview, I asked one of the UTMB students about how much the interview factors into the admissions decision. This student told me the interview, by their understanding, had no real impact and that it was simply for "fact checking." I thought this was really odd and it's been bugging me since my interview. It didn't help that when I was leaving my first interview, my interviewer made a comment about how she doesn't understand how they pick which students to accept and that it must be really difficult with the ranking system. The student explained to me that all students are ranked prior to their interview and that the number doesn't change much after your interview unless you completely blew them out of the park or completely bombed it. Otherwise, you stay where you're at

Sorry if I'm being super paranoid, but if anyone has any clarification on this I would really appreciate it!

This is quite disconcerting as this process would seem they've already made up their minds about an applicant without looking at their non-cognitive factors. I hope this is not true for UTMB admissions.
I was offered Dec 4th interview and the thought bothering me after my interview is I was so undesirable that I was at the bottom of the list of people they called for interview. If indeed what you say is true that internal rankings are what leads to acceptances, it would make sense that earlier interviewees would stand the highest chance of acceptance and later ones the lowest. If that indeed is the case, I'm incredibly disappointed and disgruntled at UTMB admissions processes.

 

[texan2414]

I interviewed with Dr. Carroll who is the director of admissions. He basically said if you made it to the interview your foot is already in the door, you just have to show them you fit at the school. He couldn't even remember my MCAT score and I hinted at it since it wasn't so great. During the presentation they said that everyone that is here made their numbers. I highly doubt they rank you before they meet you.

Do you think people who interview with the admissions committee members are at a greater advantage than those who interviewed with faculty/guest interviewers, solely because of the fact that the person sitting on the committee will likely remember you and would be more pressed to vote for you if you had a good interview, as opposed to a faculty interviewer who would only send their interview evaluation form to the committee and all the committee would have to go forward with would be that paper.

 

[texan2414]

Ahh I can see everyone is really psyched out about getting accepted to med school. At the end of the day, we have to tell ourselves that we performed to the best of our abilities and that there is nothing we can do to control the outcome of the admissions decision. Just a month or so ago, I had ZERO interviews and had lost hope but am incredibly grateful to now have 3 IIs. I'm not going to stress myself out unnecessarily. Med school is not going anywhere (at least for me). If I do not get into a school this year, I'll just continue my research and volunteer work. Chasing after my dream only motivates me more to be a stronger applicant in 2016.

 

[TexasResident3]

Do you think people who interview with the admissions committee members are at a greater advantage than those who interviewed with faculty/guest interviewers, solely because of the fact that the person sitting on the committee will likely remember you and would be more pressed to vote for you if you had a good interview, as opposed to a faculty interviewer who would only send their interview evaluation form to the committee and all the committee would have to go forward with would be that paper.

I definitely think having an adcom member as an interviewer can serve to your extreme advantage/disadvantage. So far I've pre-matched to a few schools. Out of those, I know for a fact that one of my interviewers at both UTMB and A&M were adcom members and one was even the associate chair (don't know the official title). Having an adcom member means they have a direct vote whether they want you in their class or not. That's not to say that a non-adcom member can't add any significant value to your application, but it's just better to have an adcom member. Regardless, I have enough confidence in the system to believe your application will be evaluated fairly no matter what the circumstances.

 

[TexasResident3]

Ahh I can see everyone is really psyched out about getting accepted to med school. At the end of the day, we have to tell ourselves that we performed to the best of our abilities and that there is nothing we can do to control the outcome of the admissions decision. Just a month or so ago, I had ZERO interviews and had lost hope but am incredibly grateful to now have 3 IIs. I'm not going to stress myself out unnecessarily. Med school is not going anywhere (at least for me). If I do not get into a school this year, I'll just continue my research and volunteer work. Chasing after my dream only motivates me more to be a stronger applicant in 2016.

Just breathe, man. I've been looking at your posts in other threads and I must say, these schools are missing out on a guy like you. Keep your head up and keep on truckin'. I really hope you get an acceptance this cycle.

 

[pinkfairydust]

That was the vibe I seemed to get, that the interview was more to check fit than to really grill us. However, when they interview 5-6 applicants for every spot in the class it seems counter-intuitive that most people who interview there will get an offer just for showing a good fit. It seems likely that there is some analysis other than saying everyone who comes to an interview is qualified, and they're only looking at fit. I wonder what the evaluation process is like and how much MCAT/GPA, ECs, and Interview play into the final decision.

,

 

[vneuro]

Well my mcat score was abysmal and that my entire application was really late since I took the September 23 MCAT so I feel like they have a criteria in figuring out the nitty gritty details that make you a good fit for them.

In principle you'd think medical schools would have an awesome, streamlined, unbiased way to objectively rank candidates at the interview stage, but unfortunately the process is highly variable and politicized, and there's a lot of dumb luck involved at the end of the day, particularly for caucasian and asian males.

texan2414, I know you're lamenting the fact that UTMB may not focus on non-cognitive factors as much as you'd like, but the irony is that the very process of emphasizing non-cognitive factors under the aegis of "holistic review" is set up to work against you if you are an ORM (over represented minority or majority, i.e. caucasian or asian male). Your LizzyM score likely puts you in the top 15% of candidates at UTMB. txmed7's case is even more egregious. His 3.9/517 combination puts him more in the top 5% of all applicants, but probably only the top 15 or 20% among caucasian/asian male applicants. If medical school admissions were a pure meritocracy, both of you would likely have already been accepted - certainly at UTMB.

Diversity within medical school classes is absolutely essential for training an effective physician workforce, but at the end of the day it's a zero-sum game and someone has to lose. There are a finite number of seats. If medical schools in Texas ranked purely based on GPA and MCAT, you'd have entire classes filled with high achieving caucasian/asian males who (statistically speaking by mere virtue of their ethnicity, sex, and likely socioeconomic background) probably want to specialize or sub-specialize during or after residency unless there's convincing evidence to the contrary on their application (i.e. having a significant proportion of healthcare volunteer hours spent in underserved/rural primary care settings).

Anyways sorry for going off on that rant. I have a family member on the admissions committee of a top 25 (by research) medical school (not in Texas), so I have significant insight into the process. It's also important to note that not all medical schools are the same. The admissions process at my relative's (private) medical school is far more meritocratic than the admissions process at certain public texas medical schools.

 

[texan2414]

In principle you'd think medical schools would have an awesome, streamlined, unbiased way to objectively rank candidates at the interview stage, but unfortunately the process is highly variable and politicized, and there's a lot of dumb luck involved at the end of the day, particularly for caucasian and asian males.

texan2414, I know you're lamenting the fact that UTMB may not focus on non-cognitive factors as much as you'd like, but the irony is that the very process of emphasizing non-cognitive factors under the aegis of "holistic review" is set up to work against you if you are an ORM (over represented minority or majority, i.e. caucasian or asian male). Your LizzyM score likely puts you in the top 15% of candidates at UTMB. txmed7's case is even more egregious. His 3.9/517 combination puts him more in the top 5% of all applicants, but probably only the top 15 or 20% among caucasian/asian male applicants. If medical school admissions were a pure meritocracy, both of you would likely have already been accepted - certainly at UTMB.

Diversity within medical school classes is absolutely essential for training an effective physician workforce, but at the end of the day it's a zero-sum game and someone has to lose. There are a finite number of seats. If medical schools in Texas ranked purely based on GPA and MCAT, you'd have entire classes filled with high achieving caucasian/asian males who (statistically speaking by mere virtue of their ethnicity, sex, and likely socioeconomic background) probably want to specialize or sub-specialize during or after residency unless there's convincing evidence to the contrary on their application (i.e. having a significant proportion of healthcare volunteer hours spent in underserved/rural primary care settings).

Anyways sorry for going off on that rant. I have a family member on the admissions committee of a top 25 (by research) medical school (not in Texas), so I have significant insight into the process. It's also important to note that not all medical schools are the same. The admissions process at my relative's (private) medical school is far more meritocratic than the admissions process at certain public texas medical schools.

I'm not decrying the fact that admissions process is subjective.

Also, you don't really explain well why holistic review would work against ORM applicants (yes I'm an ORM applicant). Holistic review is an evaluation of a profile BEYOND LizzyM scores. I do think I have a compelling background that indeed does give me some edge against applicants. I won't be too revealing in my history but there were significant setbacks that I encountered and going through them while keeping my focus for medicine provides me with a unique perspective that many applicants may not have (despite having MCAT/GPA within the 95th percentile) - I thought the purpose of the interview was to signify and highlight such factors that numbers themselves cannot tell an admissions officer. In this case, I don't see how I would be disadvantaged as an ORM applicant as I am counting on my unique background to be taken into consideration with the holistic review.

One thing I wanted to point out that I heard from Dr. Diaz at A&M about diversity is that it is not so black-and-white. Even if you are an ORM applicant, it doesn't mean that you wouldn't be able to contribute to the diversity of the student body. The mere fact that applicants decide to engage in extracurricular activities that interest them personally adds to the diversity factor. These lines are not strictly defined by ethinic/racial/socioeconomic parameters. There are certainly aspects in my own application that I would consider to strongly contribute to the diversity and richness of the student body should I am accepted.

 

[txMed7]

In principle you'd think medical schools would have an awesome, streamlined, unbiased way to objectively rank candidates at the interview stage, but unfortunately the process is highly variable and politicized, and there's a lot of dumb luck involved at the end of the day, particularly for caucasian and asian males.

texan2414, I know you're lamenting the fact that UTMB may not focus on non-cognitive factors as much as you'd like, but the irony is that the very process of emphasizing non-cognitive factors under the aegis of "holistic review" is set up to work against you if you are an ORM (over represented minority or majority, i.e. caucasian or asian male). Your LizzyM score likely puts you in the top 15% of candidates at UTMB. txmed7's case is even more egregious. His 3.9/517 combination puts him more in the top 5% of all applicants, but probably only the top 15 or 20% among caucasian/asian male applicants. If medical school admissions were a pure meritocracy, both of you would likely have already been accepted - certainly at UTMB.

Diversity within medical school classes is absolutely essential for training an effective physician workforce, but at the end of the day it's a zero-sum game and someone has to lose. There are a finite number of seats. If medical schools in Texas ranked purely based on GPA and MCAT, you'd have entire classes filled with high achieving caucasian/asian males who (statistically speaking by mere virtue of their ethnicity, sex, and likely socioeconomic background) probably want to specialize or sub-specialize during or after residency unless there's convincing evidence to the contrary on their application (i.e. having a significant proportion of healthcare volunteer hours spent in underserved/rural primary care settings).

Anyways sorry for going off on that rant. I have a family member on the admissions committee of a top 25 (by research) medical school (not in Texas), so I have significant insight into the process. It's also important to note that not all medical schools are the same. The admissions process at my relative's (private) medical school is far more meritocratic than the admissions process at certain public texas medical schools.

I don't like blaming the subjective nature of "holistic review" for why I'm a 3 time re-applicant (possibly 4 if I don't get in this cycle). My combination of academic and non-cognitive qualifications were simply insufficient for admission to medical school, and I've worked hard to alleviate those deficiencies to the best of my abilities (improving my GPA from a 3.84 to a 3.90, improving my MCAT from a 33R (90th percentile) to a 517 (96th percentile), spending significant time (1 year) volunteering as an EMT-B, procuring several leadership positions within honor societies at my school, co-founding a student chapter of an organization that delivers medical devices to underserved countries, adding tutoring, grading, and hundreds of shadowing and volunteer hours to my application).

I appreciate you sticking up for me , but ultimately I know that I've been given as fair a shot as anyone in the process in spite of being an ORM. People who gained admission did so because they simply worked harder. If I need a graduate degree (M.S.), 520+ MCAT, a 1st or 2nd authorship on a publication, and/or further substantial improvements on my clinical experience or non-clinical volunteerism, I'll do it. I'll put in the work.

 

[kanafeh]

I respect the opposite opinion, but I think interviewing with a non-adcom is a much safer bet. An adcom would have seen it all to the point where he/she are too numb to be impressed by something not extraordinary. I also talk from experience.

One thing I would like to add is that we are often inclined to think that the system, and the people that make up that system (i.e. adcoms), are all ideal. The truth is that there is so much subjectivity that the process if far from ideal but still somehow very much fair. Like a poster above mentioned, the process is highly variable and politicized.

 

[PattiePie]

Don't waste your time trying to understand the process. I'm a black male with stats above UTMB's averages (34 balanced/3.6-ish GPA from a top school with grade deflation) and had two solid interviews. I also have numerous life experiences that would allow me to contribute substantially to the diversity of the student body beyond just my ethnicity. Yet, no prematch here.


Keep in mind the average AA matriculant into MD programs has a ~26 MCAT/ ~3.4 GPA. Goes to show that not every minority gets the URM advantage. 😕

 

[texan2414]

Don't waste your time trying to understand the process. I'm a black male with stats above UTMB's averages (34 balanced/3.6-ish GPA from a top school with grade deflation) and had two solid interviews. I also have numerous life experiences that would allow me to contribute substantially to the diversity of the student body beyond just my ethnicity. Yet, no prematch here.


Keep in mind the average AA matriculant into MD programs has a ~26 MCAT/ ~3.4 GPA. Goes to show that not every minority gets the URM advantage. 😕

Are you an OOS applicant?

 

[PattiePie]

Are you an OOS applicant?

Nope, I'm IS and this is my second time applying with the same stats. First cycle I wasn't even worthy enough for an interview here (app submitted early June).

 

[vneuro]

Nope, I'm IS and this is my second time applying with the same stats. First cycle I wasn't even worthy enough for an interview here (app submitted early June).

You're a re-applicant and you already have a medical school acceptance (based on your previous posts). Be happy with that.

 

[foood]

Has anyone who interviewed 11/06 gotten in??

I got the acceptance email 12/16, hope it goes well for you too!

 

[pinkfairydust]

Does anyone know if they sent out scholarships yet? If not, when do they usually send them out by.

 

[Azura]

Nvm figured it out.