2017-2018 University of Pittsburgh

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MarineMDHopeful said:
I just got one today. Did you get into another school besides Pitt? I called and they said that it wasn't from them that they haven't sent any background checks yet.
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If you have been accepted or put on the waitlist at any school that requires the screening, you'll get the email.
 
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14beichar said:
While they are P/F for preclinical years, they are not a true unranked P/F school. So they may use our grades 1st and 2nd year to determine AOA, awards, evaluations, etc.

Very few schools are unranked P/F (only like Mayo, Harvard, Stanford, and a few others).
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This is inaccurate. Pitt is a true Pass/Fail school (no internal ranking whatsoever). Schools that are true P/F use Clinical Year grades and Step 1 for determining AOA. Preclinical years have no effect on being nominated for AOA.

Most medical schools (including true P/F schools like Columbia, Penn, Case, Etc.) still have AOA, Harvard is just known not to have an AOA chapter.
 
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neurobio23 said:
This is inaccurate. Pitt is a true Pass/Fail school (no internal ranking whatsoever). Schools that are true P/F use Clinical Year grades and Step 1 for determining AOA. Preclinical years have no effect on being nominated for AOA.

Most medical schools (including true P/F schools like Columbia, Penn, Case, Etc.) still have AOA, Harvard is just known not to have an AOA chapter.
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A few schools are known for not having AOA. Harvard, Stanford, and Yale come to mind. CCLCM also has no clinical grades OR ranking OR AOA. They refuse to compare students in any way. Yale is similar except they have clinical grades.
 
Where do we send/upload letters of intent or update letters for this school? Tried looking on the portal but didnt see anything?
 
neurobio23 said:
This is inaccurate. Pitt is a true Pass/Fail school (no internal ranking whatsoever). Schools that are true P/F use Clinical Year grades and Step 1 for determining AOA. Preclinical years have no effect on being nominated for AOA.

Most medical schools (including true P/F schools like Columbia, Penn, Case, Etc.) still have AOA, Harvard is just known not to have an AOA chapter.
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Yes, I misspoke. Pitt is true P/F in the sense that your preclinical grades are not utilized for AOA (which I did not know). Mayo also has no AOA. It sounds like 3rd year grades and probably step, are the most important things for making AOA at Pitt.

Believe me, I'm relieved that pre-clinical is basically unranked.
 
Those of you who received the mail, do you live relatively close to Pitt? Haven't received mine yet
 
lovehate said:
Should I send my interest/update letter via email or snail mail?
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Did you ever get a response on whether or not they are receptive to people on waitlist sending additional letters of rec? (I think it was you who asked)

I just started in a new lab at the beginning of last summer, so there was no letter from my PI on my app, but I feel they could write a good one now.
 
Letter arrived in mail. Except it was sent to my neighbor who then delivered it a day later to my housemate because I'm currently on the other side of the US. So sardonic life can be, all these months spent checking the mailbox were for naught.
 
Last year it was end of Feb. and the year before It was the first week of March.
 
legalizeranch123 said:
Can anyone talk about their experiences with PREP or the Prologue to Medicine program?

I was planning on traveling for a couple months before med school and didn't know if it's worth cutting that short to attend either of these programs?
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I thought Prologue was a great program, especially for those that may have been away from the classroom for a little bit, and gives you a chance to get a little ahead in anatomy, get to know some of the faculty, establish some great med school friends early, and settle into Pittsburgh. That way when med school starts, you can hit the ground running.

That being said, if you have the means I would definitely take some time off and travel. It may be your last big chunk of free time for awhile. I was able to do both. If you're coming straight out of school, I'd personally go with the traveling. You're about to embark on a very long marathon of medical education.


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile
 
Anybody applying for financial aid - do we just send tax documents to the financial aid email address? Some other schools have a portal to upload documents, but I don't see one for Pitt
 
swishr said:
Anybody applying for financial aid - do we just send tax documents to the financial aid email address? Some other schools have a portal to upload documents, but I don't see one for Pitt
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I sent mine via snail mail. Since they asked for a signed copy of tax returns, I assumed email wouldn't work.
 
spotted_drum said:
Did you ever get a response on whether or not they are receptive to people on waitlist sending additional letters of rec? (I think it was you who asked)

I just started in a new lab at the beginning of last summer, so there was no letter from my PI on my app, but I feel they could write a good one now.
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I think that was my question, but yeah I called admissions yesterday. The woman said the committee welcomes additional letters of rec (in addition to letters of interest/intent, updates, etc.), and that everything sent will be uploaded to your application file. You can just ask your letter write to email their recommendation directly to the admissions email ([email protected]).
 
To go off of the above, just make sure your letter writer puts your AMCAS ID in the subject line if they are emailing directly.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
blueskies3838 said:
To those coming to Pitt, I would highly recommend using Firecracker along with the first two years of the curriculum. PM me if you have specific questions.
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Thank you! Can you elaborate on why you recommend Firecracker? Is it helpful for studying for Pitt exams or did you use it for your USMLE prep? Or both?
 
MarineMDHopeful said:
Hey everyone, just wanted to let everyone know that while I LOVED Pitt I got into my top choice and will be withdrawing. Hope my spot goes to one of you. You deserve it!
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"One of you"? Huh. That's a weird way to spell @donutzebra

Hahaha just kidding; congratulations on getting into your top choice!
 
MarineMDHopeful said:
Hey everyone, just wanted to let everyone know that while I LOVED Pitt I got into my top choice and will be withdrawing. Hope my spot goes to one of you. You deserve it!
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29-thank-you-meme-1.png
 
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