2016-2017 University of Miami (Miller) Application Thread

[GrumpyGus]

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Hi, current applicants! MS2 here, currently procrastinating from step 1 studying lol. If anyone has questions, I can try answering them. My colleagues @The Knife & Gun Club, @gcuddles, and @teeayejay have all given great insight, so go read their posts if you haven't already!

Convince me to come to Miami. Pretend I'm the absolutely most beautiful person of your preferred sex and you want to marry me and the only thing stopping you is my choice of medical school. Woo me

 

[Ace Khalifa]

Convince me to come to Miami. Pretend I'm the absolutely most beautiful person of your preferred sex and you want to marry me and the only thing stopping you is my choice of medical school. Woo me

That is not a question. But with your sense of humor, you'd fit right in here.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

We find out our ranking at the end of second year.

You also find out at the end of first year, unless they changed that. I know we def got ours sometime early fall semester MS2.

 

[Vrachika]

Can any current student offer insight on the Pathways of Emphasis (or perhaps even a link)? I'm not finding much on the website.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Hi, current applicants! MS2 here, currently procrastinating from step 1 studying lol. If anyone has questions, I can try answering them. My colleagues @The Knife & Gun Club, @gcuddles, and @teeayejay have all given great insight, so go read their posts if you haven't already!

Hahahaha "colleague"

Can any current student offer insight on the Pathways of Emphasis (or perhaps even a link)? I'm not finding much on the website.

Im not the best to answer this but basically the pathway of emphasis involves being able to add on some extra classes and do some research in a field of your choosing. Here's a list of the pathways (http://admissions.med.miami.edu/md-programs/general-md/curriculum/pathways-of-emphasis).

It's sort of like doing a mini masters, in-folded in the curriculum. To be honest it's not a huge percentage (<half) of students do a pathway, because they require a lot of work and are only enjoyable if you really like the subject matter in your path. However the students I know who are in the pathway LOVE it, because they get early, in depth exposure to a field they already know they're interested in.

They put a designation on your diploma and in your deans letter for doing a pathway, which is nice.

 

[chirugien97]

Has anyone heard about financial aid? If not do you know when were supposed to hear?

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Convince me to come to Miami. Pretend I'm the absolutely most beautiful person of your preferred sex and you want to marry me and the only thing stopping you is my choice of medical school. Woo me

Hahahahaha, you've got a sense of humor

But seriously, remember that picking a school is a lot more than flashy curriculums and sweet research opportunities (and epic tinder profiles 🙄). You're picking where gonna have some of the best, but also some of the most brutal experiences of your life (so far). There's gonna be days that absolutely suck, and when they come you want to be somewhere you can make up for it in other ways. I think Miami is great for this because the administration is tight knit and really cares, the student body is very cohesive, the mentoring is robust, and the city itself is like a vacation spot.

When $h!t hits the fan, it's been great to have administrators, older students, and my class mates all super willing to help, give advice, etc. And if that fails, go sit on the rooftop pool deck of your apartment for 30 minutes and enjoy the sun...it works every time.

**fun fact basically every building in brickell has a rooftop pool deck**

 

[TyrosineLannister]

II today! Had all but written any chances of an II off by this point, so I'm pretty excited to have another school to visit this late in the cycle.

Submitted very late in Sept, never saw my status change on the portal until today. OOS non-trad, LM ~72. Plenty of interview dates available on Mon/Fridays from late feb through march.

 

[Vrachika]

Hahahaha "colleague"


Thanks! That page was the only thing I found as well, but you gave me a little better of an idea of what it's like.

Im not the best to answer this but basically the pathway of emphasis involves being able to add on some extra classes and do some research in a field of your choosing. Here's a list of the pathways (http://admissions.med.miami.edu/md-programs/general-md/curriculum/pathways-of-emphasis).

It's sort of like doing a mini masters, in-folded in the curriculum. To be honest it's not a huge percentage (<half) of students do a pathway, because they require a lot of work and are only enjoyable if you really like the subject matter in your path. However the students I know who are in the pathway LOVE it, because they get early, in depth exposure to a field they already know they're interested in.

They put a designation on your diploma and in your deans letter for doing a pathway, which is nice.

 

[takeurmeds02]

Hahahahaha, you've got a sense of humor

But seriously, remember that picking a school is a lot more than flashy curriculums and sweet research opportunities (and epic tinder profiles 🙄). You're picking where gonna have some of the best, but also some of the most brutal experiences of your life (so far). There's gonna be days that absolutely suck, and when they come you want to be somewhere you can make up for it in other ways. I think Miami is great for this because the administration is tight knit and really cares, the student body is very cohesive, the mentoring is robust, and the city itself is like a vacation spot.

When $h!t hits the fan, it's been great to have administrators, older students, and my class mates all super willing to help, give advice, etc. And if that fails, go sit on the rooftop pool deck of your apartment for 30 minutes and enjoy the sun...it works every time.

**fun fact basically every building in brickell has a rooftop pool deck**

Pool, even in the middle of February?? Really?? lol...but no seriously the fresh, warm air def helps

 

[person777]

.

 

[chm9332]

Annoyed that my status still remains as "your application is under review." I submitted in July!!!!
I want my money back! jk

 

[medbunny56]

II today! Had all but written any chances of an II off by this point, so I'm pretty excited to have another school to visit this late in the cycle.

Submitted very late in Sept, never saw my status change on the portal until today. OOS non-trad, LM ~72. Plenty of interview dates available on Mon/Fridays from late feb through march.

Congrats! Do you remember what your status was on the portal beforehand? (i.e. under review, complete and currently under review, scored)

 

[TyrosineLannister]

Congrats! Do you remember what your status was on the portal beforehand? (i.e. under review, complete and currently under review, scored)

Thanks! It was "under review" every time I checked.

 

[TheBoy]

Anybody have any advice for the interview or how the interview usually is here?!


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[NEApplicant]

For those that applied MD/MPH or sent interest letters, did you send a different letter to the MD and the MPH committees? Or same letter to both?

Also- Address it to the admissions committee? The dean?

 

[rogerjohnson1]

so im interviewing on monday and im pretty nervous. thiis school is my top chioce. what is the interview process like and is it bad that i am interviewing so late in the cycle?

 

[publichealthchick22]

For those that applied MD/MPH or sent interest letters, did you send a different letter to the MD and the MPH committees? Or same letter to both?

Also- Address it to the admissions committee? The dean?

You can send one LOI to the admissions email address. I believe both committees would see it if you applied to both. Yes, you can address it to the admissions committee.


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[gcuddles]

Anybody have any advice for the interview or how the interview usually is here?!


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so im interviewing on monday and im pretty nervous. thiis school is my top chioce. what is the interview process like and is it bad that i am interviewing so late in the cycle?

Not to sound obnoxious but these questions have been answered quite a few times already. Try searching "interview" in this thread only, you'll find the posts.

 

[publichealthchick22]

so im interviewing on monday and im pretty nervous. thiis school is my top chioce. what is the interview process like and is it bad that i am interviewing so late in the cycle?

The interview process, while nerve-racking, isn't bad at all. It's about an hour long with one interviewer. Mine was with an internal medicine doc. They do have a set list of questions to ask, including some ethical questions. There isn't one right answer; as long as you avoid extreme answers, I think you should be fine. Study your application well, and maybe look up interview questions online-just to have your mind flowing with personal experiences and stories that you could probably use at the interview.

No, it is not bad that you are interviewing late in the cycle. You could still get in on the next acceptance date with a scholarship offer. Entirely possible. Best wishes!






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[publichealthchick22]

Annoyed that my status still remains as "your application is under review." I submitted in July!!!!
I want my money back! jk

Hang in there, and enjoy what may probably be your last few months of freedom.


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[Tootsie1121]

so im interviewing on monday and im pretty nervous. thiis school is my top chioce. what is the interview process like and is it bad that i am interviewing so late in the cycle?

Congratulations!!!
Do you mind sharing your stats!
Good luck on Monday!


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[rogerjohnson1]

Congratulations!!!
Do you mind sharing your stats!
Good luck on Monday!


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thank you! im OOS with a 74 LizzyM

 

[Trying2345]

thank you! im OOS with a 74 LizzyM

Good luck!

 

[sandyman237]

Just got the status that a final decision has been reached. Interview feb 13.

 

[czars9450]

Just got the status that a final decision has been reached. Interview feb 13.

This dude is a liar

 

[TulipF]

This dude is a liar

No. Sandyman237 isn't lying. I just checked my status and have the same message (even though I interviewed a bit earlier in the last week of January).

Oh god, could they be anymore ominous or terrifying? What does this even mean? Have they decided to reject, waitlist, accept? And why are they letting us know before March 1st, when they said they will be releasing decisions? Will be able to think of nothing else for the next 7 days.

Full message for those curious:

A final decision has been reached by the Admissions Committee at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine on your application. Contact the admissions office 305-243-3234 or [email protected] if you do not receive a telephone call, an e-mail or a letter within seven days.

 

[sandyman237]

No. Sandyman237 isn't lying. I just checked my status and have the same message.

Oh god, could they be anymore ominous or terrifying? What does this even mean? Have they decided to reject, waitlist, accept? And why are they letting us know before March 1st, when they said they will be releasing decisions? Will be able to think of nothing else for the next 7 days.

Full message for those curious:

A final decision has been reached by the Admissions Committee at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine on your application. Contact the admissions office 305-243-3234View attachment 215467 or [email protected] if you do not receive a telephone call, an e-mail or a letter within seven days.

There's an acceptance day on March 1st. That means we will hear either around 5 pm on March 1st (acceptance) or in the morning on March 2nd (alternate/rejected). When did you interview?

Edit: just realized you said end of January. The status just means you will hear this week, not today.

 

[TulipF]

There's an acceptance day on March 1st. That means we will hear either around 5 pm on March 1st (acceptance) or in the morning on March 2nd (alternate/rejected). When did you interview?

January 27th. They told us on the interview day that we would likely hear on March 1st and not before due to a back up of applications and a visit from the accreditation board.

Thank you by the way. That calms my "I have no idea what is happening! This deviates from the plan!" nerves. Now, I will save my day of terror for March 1st.

 

[bg123456]

I interviewed at the end of January and was told that the soonest decisions would be march 1. Within a week or two of the interview I was waitlisted. I don't understand how these guys work.


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Nobody reads your application carefully. Its all about the numbers.

 

[TulipF]

I interviewed at the end of January and was told that the soonest decisions would be march 1. Within a week or two of the interview I was waitlisted. I don't understand how these guys work.


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See this is what I mean by deviations from what we were told. Terror-inducing.

In reference to bg123456's comment, I think that disservices the admissions committee and the amount of work they put into reading each application despite receiving thousands of them. I, for one, can comment that the committee member I spoke to really read through my application, going as far as to quote my application to me and mention things that no other place I interviewed at did.

 

[Trying2345]

... who could we contact, so that we clearly understand this process? For the next cycle, and if I still trust UM, I need to know the rules of the game prior to applying. Too many unanswered questions!

 

[sandyman237]

I disagree. My interviewer was rather familiar with my application and posed specific questions raised by the committee that would have required them to read my stuff thoroughly. My original comment was really about how the timing was off, as I was waitlisted several weeks before any new decisions were supposed to be released based on what they had told us.


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Yea I get that the timing was off, but you received a decision early! That is much better than hearing later than the expected date imo. They said to my interview group that it would be a miracle if we heard the week of March 1st, but I'm going to hear this week. Our interviewers were probably very quick with their reports.

 

[TulipF]

Yea I get that the timing was off, but you received a decision early! That is much better than hearing later than the expected date imo. They said to my interview group that it would be a miracle if we heard the week of March 1st, but I'm going to hear this week. Our interviewers were probably very quick with their reports.

Interviewers (as I was told) must submit their evaluation within a 1 week's time to the admissions committee. I am not sure his early decision notification had anything to do with the interviewer's timing or not. Still, I would agree with you. Better to have heard early rather than late. Plus, he was wait listed, which means he has still got a change to get into UM.

 

[sandyman237]

Interviewers (as I was told) must submit their evaluation within a 1 week's time to the admissions committee. I am not sure his early decision notification had anything to do with the interviewer's timing or not. Still, I would agree with you. Better to have heard early rather than late. Plus, he was wait listed, which means he has still got a change to get into UM.

You're right. I do recall them saying that the interviewers had to have their evaluations ready within a week. There goes my theory. Honestly I have no idea how the admissions committee decides who gets notified at each decision date. The way these committees work is so mysterious lol.

 

[Ursus#1]

I interviewed late January and received my acceptance within a week or two from interviewing even though we were told we would not hear back until March 1st. Perhaps the admissions committee just had more time to review applications than they had anticipated. In any case, I don't see why anyone would be mad about hearing back earlier?

 

[Cigar]

I interviewed late January and received my acceptance within a week or two from interviewing even though we were told we would not hear back until March 1st. Perhaps the admissions committee just had more time to review applications than they had anticipated. In any case, I don't see why anyone would be mad about hearing back earlier?

I'm not mad, just confused at how they work.


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[Ursus#1]

I'm not mad, just confused at how they work.
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Sorry, mad was a bad choice of words 🙂 I just meant that they probably told us March 1st to avoid people being disappointed or anxious if they don't hear back earlier.

 

[TulipF]

Sorry, mad was a bad choice of words 🙂 I just meant that they probably told us March 1st to avoid people being disappointed or anxious if they don't hear back earlier.

I am curious if anyone has been rejected by UM post-interview. From skimming through this thread I know there have been a few pre-secondary and post-secondary rejections, but I was told on my interview day that UM creates ranked lists based off an averaged score out of 5 and they pick the top 20 candidates each "decision day" to inform them of their acceptance. If this is true, how are they picking rejection, or for that matter wait list candidates? By that logic, technically no one who is interviewed should be rejected outright, but rather be places on wait list until either the candidate withdraws their application or all the 300+ acceptances UM offers are filled.

Ursus#1 and Cigar, would you mind posting your stats on the thread just to see at what GPA/MCAT/Etc. levels they are issuing acceptances/wait lists? Thanks.

 

[TulipF]

... who could we contact, so that we clearly understand this process? For the next cycle, and if I still trust UM, I need to know the rules of the game prior to applying. Too many unanswered questions!

You could try gcuddles. I think they are MS1 at UM.

 

[TulipF]

GPA is 3.8
MCAT 518

I completed my application very early in the season despite the novel I had to write to finish their secondary lol. Interview was end of January.


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Interesting. Thank you for sharing.

 

[TulipF]

Goes to show you that stats aren't everything. I've got other options, but UM is great and I love Miami. I'm hoping that the march-April waitlist movement goes in my favor.


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Would you mind detailing some of your background? Extracurriculars, volunteer, research, anything particularly special/unusual? I am assuming, by your status, you were still in college when you applied?

 

[Apollo8]

got an II here, quick question since this is my first open-file interview... Since UM has such an extensive secondary, do they look at the primary application for purposes of the interview? or really stick mostly to the secondary? just want to spend my time looking over my info as productively as possible. A lot of the info overlaps, just different the way I laid it out really.

 

[prayer525]

got an II here, quick question since this is my first open-file interview... Since UM has such an extensive secondary, do they look at the primary application for purposes of the interview? or really stick mostly to the secondary? just want to spend my time looking over my info as productively as possible. A lot of the info overlaps, just different the way I laid it out really.

congratulations !! what dates are available to interview ? Thanks

 

[medbunny56]

got an II here, quick question since this is my first open-file interview... Since UM has such an extensive secondary, do they look at the primary application for purposes of the interview? or really stick mostly to the secondary? just want to spend my time looking over my info as productively as possible. A lot of the info overlaps, just different the way I laid it out really.

Congrats! Do you mind sharing when were you complete and your portal status before the II

 

[TulipF]

I hesitate to write this since I could be easily identified, but you asked. I've been out of college for a couple of years, got a few thousand hours of research activity (that includes direct clinical experience), 3 publications with 3 more under review, and accomplishments in an artistic field. I've gotten into some other places, so I can assume that I'm not a garbage interviewee. But hey, you never know what to expect. waitlist is better than a rejection at this point.




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Thank you, Cigar, for being so bold as to post that. I was just curious, because I was in a similar boat in regards to stats and extracurriculars/background (give or take a year), slightly more heavily weighted in clinical and public health experience, and I wanted to gauge what to expect come this next decisions release day.

Fingers crossed and good luck to you!

 

[gcuddles]

got an II here, quick question since this is my first open-file interview... Since UM has such an extensive secondary, do they look at the primary application for purposes of the interview? or really stick mostly to the secondary? just want to spend my time looking over my info as productively as possible. A lot of the info overlaps, just different the way I laid it out really.

I was asked questions equally on both my primary and secondary. I'd recommend knowing it all (welcome to med school).

 

[antioxydant]

Losing hope for this school even though it's one of my top choices.. IS LizzyM 72

Are they still interviewing or pretty much finishing up

 

[Ursus#1]

Ursus#1 and Cigar, would you mind posting your stats on the thread just to see at what GPA/MCAT/Etc. levels they are issuing acceptances/wait lists? Thanks.

GPA around 3.59 or something like that (I forgot the exact number, sorry🙂
MCAT:522

 

[tdb5203]

Offered a II today for the MD/MPH program. Anyone have any advice for the MD/MPH interview specifically? i.e. the differences between the two interviews and what to expect for the MPH interview?