2018-2019 CA University of Science and Medicine

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ii today. one hour ago. IS. LM 72. available spots were 2/21 and 3/14.

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II today. LM 69 OOS. Anyone else get a secondary invite and II at the same time?
 
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Accepted this morning off the waitlist :soexcited:Interviewed in December, waitlisted in January. Good luck to everyone waiting to interview or hear back!
 
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Also got in off the waitlist today. First school I've gotten in to, feels good. Interviewed in November, waitlisted in December.
 
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Accepted off the waitlist today!!! Interviewed 1/31 and waitlisted on 2/8.
 
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Can any of the current students comment about the amount of mandatory class time? How much do you guys study per day? How do you feel about the quality/quantity of classes?
 
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Can any of the current students comment about the amount of mandatory class time? How much do you guys study per day? How do you feel about the quality/quantity of classes?
There is no mandatory class time aside from Clinical Skills, Anatomy Lab, Clinical Case Presentation, and College Colloquium. Flipped classroom is now optional. You should have more than enough time to study throughout the week not only for class but also for Step 1. Quality of lectures is largely dependent on the professor, which is true for any medical school in the country. To be completely honest, medical students at most medical schools typically ditch class lecture material in favor of Step 1 Board Prep material about a few weeks to months into medical school.
 
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There is no mandatory class time aside from Clinical Skills and Anatomy Lab. Flipped classroom is now optional. You should have more than enough time to study throughout the week not only for class but also for Step 1. Quality of lectures is largely dependent on the professor, which is true for any medical school in the country. To be completely honest, every medical student at every medical school typically ditches class lecture in favor of Step 1 Board Prep material about a few weeks to months into medical school.

Thanks for the reply! At my interview they emphasized team based learning and that students have college colloquiums to attend. Did they change this?
 
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Thanks for the reply! At my interview they emphasized team based learning and that students have college colloquiums to attend. Did they change this?
There is still team-based learning in the sense that you take these individual quizzes three times a week and immediately afterward you then take that same quiz as a team and pool together answers, but that usually lasts at most for about ten to fifteen minutes. Yes, there is still college colloquium to attend in which you discuss important and pressing topics in medicine, but you should still have more than enough time to study. I actually like that aspect of our curriculum while others do not. It's really up to the individual.
 
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Actually we have more mandatory class time than just Clinical Skills and Anatomy Lab. There is also IRAT/TRAT which is 30 min-1 hour three times a week and a Clinical skills algorithm presentation which is about 30 minutes plus meeting with teams after which can range anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half. There is also mandatory clinical presentations which take about an hour. All in all, thats an extra 3 hours and thirty minutes to 6 hours a week. There is some variability with 3 hours and thirty minutes being the least amount of time possible spent at school (in addition to Clinical skills and anatomy lab that I did not account) if we get out as early as possible to 6 hours if it takes us the maximum amount of time in each session. Average this out and we can say, roughly, an extra 4 hours and 45 minutes of mandatory class time on top of Clinical Skills and Anatomy lab time that is mandatory as well.
 
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II today. LM 70 OOS. Anyone else get a secondary invite and II at the same time?
I did in September when I received my secondary. It disappeared in a few days for me because it was an error. Did you confirm with admissions?
 
Although they said they are doing their best, it seems like it’s not going to be available for next year. Almost certainly going to be secured for the following year though

I think with the accreditation that they have to wait at least two years. So, 2019-2020 would be impossible for them.
 
I did in September when I received my secondary. It disappeared in a few days for me because it was an error. Did you confirm with admissions?
Did it let you schedule? I'm wondering if they came together since its so close to the end of the cycle.
 
Can anyone elaborate on the group activity and resilience test? Thanks
 
Can any current students comment on how the pre-accreditation of the school might effect getting into a top residency program?
 
Did it let you schedule? I'm wondering if they came together since its so close to the end of the cycle.
It did. I called admissions about it because I hadn't submit a secondary yet and they fixed it. :(
 
Since CUSM doesn't accept updates, how do we show continued interest pre-II? Or do we just sit and wait?
 
Can any current students comment on how the pre-accreditation of the school might effect getting into a top residency program?

Every new medical school has to go through the same steps and I'm sure most/all residency directors are familiar (at least somewhat) on the general processes a school must go through in order to obtain full accreditation. Coming from a school that hasn't achieved accreditation yet (granted that school hasn't failed accreditation or something), in and of itself, shouldn't affect anything. Every school has to go through that and every school must graduate its first class before gaining full accreditation. However, there may be indirect effects of graduating from a new school mainly in reputation and resources. That is to say, the new school does not have a reputation yet (especially if its not already apart of an established university) and you may have less access to resources, contacts, etc., making it slightly harder to make yourself competitive.

So very basically - not being fully accredited yet shouldn't, in and of itself, have any effect on residency programs; however, a lack of a reputation may (by my estimates) sway acceptances/interviews if someone is on the fence about you (a hypothetical example). And finally you may have less access to resources to make yourself competitive.

My take on things: at CalMed you may have to do some leg work yourself but there are plenty of opportunities for research (clinical/bench), community outreach and clinical involvement. And by next year it should be even more stream-lined. Furthermore, by the time the second class graduates there should be no reason the school doesn't have full accreditation so it shouldn't even affect you (if you were a student).

Since CUSM doesn't accept updates, how do we show continued interest pre-II? Or do we just sit and wait?

I spoke with admissions and they said they do not accept updates of any kind but they will accept letters of interest/intent if you feel you want to send one. Whether or not they have a measurable impact is undetermined but I was informed that the dean as least tries to read them. Hope this helps.

EDIT: Oh and don't try and sneak updates into the LOI if you choose to send one, haha. Apparently they're wise to that work around.
 
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I received an II on 2/8. When I logged in to schedule the interview, there was no option. I emailed admissions and they fixed the issue in my portal, and I am scheduled for tomorrow.

Since then, I haven’t received ANYTHING about meals, a schedule for the day, or anything else... all I know is my interview is scheduled for 2/21 at 9am. Can anyone pm me the schedule and any other important info?
 
Every new medical school has to go through the same steps and I'm sure most/all residency directors are familiar (at least somewhat) on the general processes a school must go through in order to obtain full accreditation. Coming from a school that hasn't achieved accreditation yet (granted that school hasn't failed accreditation or something), in and of itself, shouldn't affect anything. Every school has to go through that and every school must graduate its first class before gaining full accreditation. However, there may be indirect effects of graduating from a new school mainly in reputation and resources. That is to say, the new school does not have a reputation yet (especially if its not already apart of an established university) and you may have less access to resources, contacts, etc., making it slightly harder to make yourself competitive.

So very basically - not being fully accredited yet shouldn't, in and of itself, have any effect on residency programs; however, a lack of a reputation may (by my estimates) sway acceptances/interviews if someone is on the fence about you (a hypothetical example). And finally you may have less access to resources to make yourself competitive.

My take on things: at CalMed you may have to do some leg work yourself but there are plenty of opportunities for research (clinical/bench), community outreach and clinical involvement. And by next year it should be even more stream-lined. Furthermore, by the time the second class graduates there should be no reason the school doesn't have full accreditation so it shouldn't even affect you (if you were a student).



I spoke with admissions and they said they do not accept updates of any kind but they will accept letters of interest/intent if you feel you want to send one. Whether or not they have a measurable impact is undetermined but I was informed that the dean as least tries to read them. Hope this helps.

EDIT: Oh and don't try and sneak updates into the LOI if you choose to send one, haha. Apparently they're wise to that work around.

I attempted to send a LOI/interest, they did not accept it.
 
I received an II on 2/8. When I logged in to schedule the interview, there was no option. I emailed admissions and they fixed the issue in my portal, and I am scheduled for tomorrow.

Since then, I haven’t received ANYTHING about meals, a schedule for the day, or anything else... all I know is my interview is scheduled for 2/21 at 9am. Can anyone pm me the schedule and any other important info?

PM me your email, I can send you the PDF
 
I attempted to send a LOI/interest, they did not accept it.

Sorry to hear that. However, I'm simply mimicking what I was told by admissions yesterday when I spoke with them. I'm sure it's possible that not everyone is on the same page though. Regardless, the effect LOI's have is questionable to begin with. People can try to send one if they want, or not, probably not much of a difference made either way.
 
Is there an accepted students FB page yet?
 
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Every new medical school has to go through the same steps and I'm sure most/all residency directors are familiar (at least somewhat) on the general processes a school must go through in order to obtain full accreditation. Coming from a school that hasn't achieved accreditation yet (granted that school hasn't failed accreditation or something), in and of itself, shouldn't affect anything. Every school has to go through that and every school must graduate its first class before gaining full accreditation. However, there may be indirect effects of graduating from a new school mainly in reputation and resources. That is to say, the new school does not have a reputation yet (especially if its not already apart of an established university) and you may have less access to resources, contacts, etc., making it slightly harder to make yourself competitive.

So very basically - not being fully accredited yet shouldn't, in and of itself, have any effect on residency programs; however, a lack of a reputation may (by my estimates) sway acceptances/interviews if someone is on the fence about you (a hypothetical example). And finally you may have less access to resources to make yourself competitive.

My take on things: at CalMed you may have to do some leg work yourself but there are plenty of opportunities for research (clinical/bench), community outreach and clinical involvement. And by next year it should be even more stream-lined. Furthermore, by the time the second class graduates there should be no reason the school doesn't have full accreditation so it shouldn't even affect you (if you were a student).



I spoke with admissions and they said they do not accept updates of any kind but they will accept letters of interest/intent if you feel you want to send one. Whether or not they have a measurable impact is undetermined but I was informed that the dean as least tries to read them. Hope this helps.

EDIT: Oh and don't try and sneak updates into the LOI if you choose to send one, haha. Apparently they're wise to that work around.
Thank You for taking the time to respond to me! That was very helpful
 
Just received the secondary after submitting my primary in September... anyone else in the same boat?
 
Does this mean they are still sending out IIs?
 
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Can any current students comment on how the pre-accreditation of the school might effect getting into a top residency program?

probably would need to be even more exceptional here compared to students already at top schools given that this is a new program. this means you would probably need high scores, top of the class designations, research or other EC's, and great LOR's to match to a "top" residency program or specialty
 
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I’m assuming? Deadline to submit secondary is 4/27 which is pretty late
It gives me hope just because back in November (?) the interviews were already scheduled into February.
 
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Hello everyone, for those of you who have heard back recently with a final decision, how were you notified? I read on CUSM’s website that we should be receiving a letter, but it sounds like many people on this forum heard back through email? Or is it both? I interviewed on Valentine’s Day and am excited to hear back. I don’t want to miss any important notifications. Thanks in advance for your responses. And good luck to anyone still waiting!
 
Hello everyone, for those of you who have heard back recently with a final decision, how were you notified? I read on CUSM’s website that we should be receiving a letter, but it sounds like many people on this forum heard back through email? Or is it both? I interviewed on Valentine’s Day and am excited to hear back. I don’t want to miss any important notifications. Thanks in advance for your responses. And good luck to anyone still waiting!

Im a current student there and they said the same thing last year that they would notify people by mail. However, I also received an email and no mail lol
 
Still waiting in silence since submitting in September. Really hoping this will be the first MD school to give me an II, especially since I'm from the IE
 
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Still waiting in silence since submitting in September. Really hoping this will be the first MD school to give me an II, especially since I'm from the IE

+1
 
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Interviewed on 2/21. Just wondering what the average turnaround time is for the decision notification?
 
Just received an II! I got the secondary a week ago and submitted pretty soon after. Only date they offered was for next week. With the secondary deadline being end of April I’m sure there’s going to be interviews late into the season.
 
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Can anyone comment on the COL and overall niceness of the area? I've heard to avoid living in SB because of the crime and sketchiness. I was looking into some apartments in Rancho Cucamonga but it seems fairly expensive over there. Is it worth living in RC and commuting to SB for school every day?
 
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