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I like the curriculum a lot, Block focused so you spend 1-3 weeks studying one subject and then test on it. A couple longitudinal courses throughout the year that meet every other week or so but don't take up too much time and are usually interesting. Good opportunities and decent funding for research- mostly focused on summer breaks but you can do it throughout the year if you really want to. More volunteer opportunities and clubs than you will have time for- always a fun lunch lecture/meeting and usually weekend conference/activity options as well. REALLY GOOD COMMUNITY OF STUDENTS (although I am biased obviously). People are always sharing resources and trying to help each other. Administration is pretty good and does try to listen to most of our concerns although they aren't perfect.
Nice new building, good technology in lecture rooms, cool simulation center for standardized patient practice. Richmond is amazing but I have lived here awhile so biased on that as well. Pass fail curric but they added a distinction for the newest class which is controversial.

let me know if you have any specific questions. all in all really enjoying the school so far. Between EVMS, VCU, and UVA I would choose VCU for the atmosphere/location/price unless you absolutely love research/prestige in which case UVA might fit better for you.

Thank you so much! What would you say are parts of the curriculum that you can't find anywhere else? I know that VCU is very focused on producing clinicians, so I like VCU's PCM course and association with INOVA. Also, what are some unique student orgs or community service orgs at VCU?

P.S. Weird question: will the decision for 10/15 interviewers come on 10/16?
 
Thank you so much! What would you say are parts of the curriculum that you can't find anywhere else? I know that VCU is very focused on producing clinicians, so I like VCU's PCM course and association with INOVA. Also, what are some unique student orgs or community service orgs at VCU?

P.S. Weird question: will the decision for 10/15 interviewers come on 10/16?

You should ask the day of but I would probably think that’s a little too close. The committee has to meet and vote on everyone, not sure they can pull that off in 1 day
 
Thank you so much! What would you say are parts of the curriculum that you can't find anywhere else? I know that VCU is very focused on producing clinicians, so I like VCU's PCM course and association with INOVA. Also, what are some unique student orgs or community service orgs at VCU?

P.S. Weird question: will the decision for 10/15 interviewers come on 10/16?
when I interviewed, they said they met the monday/tuesday of the FOLLOWING week to deliberate, which would be after 10/16 for 10/15 interviewees ://
 
Are casper scores used for admission purposes pre/post II (or both)? Or for data analysis for the incoming class?
CASPer scores are primarily used in the late stages of review, but they are used for analytical purposes for the incoming class as well. So, to answer your questions: the score is used both pre- and post-interview.

@Dean Mission are you able to know if they have reached the files of those who were complete in early September? Thanks!!
It depends on where you are in the review process. There is currently about a 6-8 week backlog of applications waiting to go through subcommittee review, which is when secondary applications are scrutinized. Once through subcommittee, there is a reshuffling of the deck of sorts that reorders the line so it is not strictly first-come, first-served. Where applicants fall after an internal subcommittee rank will determine when they will get to the terminal process of file review. You must be file reviewed before getting to the point of an interview invite.
 
CASPer scores are primarily used in the late stages of review, but they are used for analytical purposes for the incoming class as well. So, to answer your questions: the score is used both pre- and post-interview.


It depends on where you are in the review process. There is currently about a 6-8 week backlog of applications waiting to go through subcommittee review, which is when secondary applications are scrutinized. Once through subcommittee, there is a reshuffling of the deck of sorts that reorders the line so it is not strictly first-come, first-served. Where applicants fall after an internal subcommittee rank will determine when they will get to the terminal process of file review. You must be file reviewed before getting to the point of an interview invite.
So @Dean Mission is it correct to believe that if I switched from committee review to sub-committee review two weeks ago, I am now in the pile being reviewed by the sub-committee where my secondary will be looked at? Until I get the file reviewed status on my portal, I will not hear anything?
Thank you so much!!
 
It depends on where you are in the review process. There is currently about a 6-8 week backlog of applications waiting to go through subcommittee review, which is when secondary applications are scrutinized. Once through subcommittee, there is a reshuffling of the deck of sorts that reorders the line so it is not strictly first-come, first-served. Where applicants fall after an internal subcommittee rank will determine when they will get to the terminal process of file review. You must be file reviewed before getting to the point of an interview invite.
Should we have any concern if we’ve been complete since July and our status says it’s waiting on sub-committee review? I’m assuming it’s been reviewed at this point, just the status hasn’t updated.
 
Thank you so much! What would you say are parts of the curriculum that you can't find anywhere else? I know that VCU is very focused on producing clinicians, so I like VCU's PCM course and association with INOVA. Also, what are some unique student orgs or community service orgs at VCU?

P.S. Weird question: will the decision for 10/15 interviewers come on 10/16?

INOVA isn't a thing for my class or anymore from what I know- I might be wrong but I think the contract is expiring/no one talks about it anymore. Here's a link for all of our organizations- if it says they were updated in the last year or so they are probably still around : Student Organizations VCU School of Medicine

There are plenty of free clinics to volunteer at (about 3-4 groups for them) and we have community service oriented events for our entire class on some weekends on top of the student organizations. Most of the curriculum stuff you can find if you dig deep enough but in essence we have around 1-2 classes a week that involve either practicing clinical medicine on each other/standardized patients. Let me know if you have any specific questions!
 
INOVA isn't a thing for my class or anymore from what I know- I might be wrong but I think the contract is expiring/no one talks about it anymore. Here's a link for all of our organizations- if it says they were updated in the last year or so they are probably still around : Student Organizations VCU School of Medicine

There are plenty of free clinics to volunteer at (about 3-4 groups for them) and we have community service oriented events for our entire class on some weekends on top of the student organizations. Most of the curriculum stuff you can find if you dig deep enough but in essence we have around 1-2 classes a week that involve either practicing clinical medicine on each other/standardized patients. Let me know if you have any specific questions!
UVA now has inova contract
 
Should we have any concern if we’ve been complete since July and our status says it’s waiting on sub-committee review? I’m assuming it’s been reviewed at this point, just the status hasn’t updated.

They’re still scheduling for December which means 2 more months of open interviews! I would just encourage you to continue to be patient, like dean mission said the review process is a multi step process— and you will get the “your review is complete” upon reaching the terminal stage of that multi step review. So while I’m speculating, your application has probably been reviewed by someone st some point ( like dean mission said their cue is 6-8 weeks behind which would leave me to believe your application has at least been reviewed initially). You could be the next to reach terminal review or your could be at the bottom priority. There is no way for us to know so it’s probably not worth wracking your brain over.
 
How long has it been taking to hear back for IIs or Rs after your application has been switched to file review complete?
 
How long has it been taking to hear back for IIs or Rs after your application has been switched to file review complete?

It took me 3 weeks to get my II but for others it took a few days. Varies, some people got the status in August and still have it.
 
To anyone that is stuck on subcommittee status...my status just updated to file review complete after having the subcommittee status for a while. I was complete 8/1. Hopefully I get an II soon!

Same here! But I’ve been completely since July 9th
 
Any current students can speak to the patient population in Richmond/community initiatives students are apart of at VCU? If any current students are available for a chat, I would love to dm and hear some of your thoughts on the school if you have some free time!
 
The earliest dates available are January 14th and beyond after today’s day of II (once you get an interview u can still see the other available dates).
 
So is the first VCU acceptance date 10/15 or 10/16? In the portal it says "we anticipate making offers around October 16th" but I know that MD decisions can be released tomorrow
 
Anyone else freaking out about tomorrow?? From what I understand based on info I've gathered at the interview and on here, if we have interviewed and the committee has already met to discuss our file (which they do on the Monday after the interview) that means we could get an A, wait list, or still potentially hear nothing at all tomorrow, depending on what "rank" we were given. I thought I remember them saying 1s and 2s are pretty much guaranteed an acceptance and 3s are kind of on the fence and could either be wait listed tomorrow or hear nothing until the next acceptance day. Can any other post-IIers confirm or refute this?? I've been trying so hard not to be neurotic recently but tomorrow can't come soon enough.
 
Anyone else freaking out about tomorrow?? From what I understand based on info I've gathered at the interview and on here, if we have interviewed and the committee has already met to discuss our file (which they do on the Monday after the interview) that means we could get an A, wait list, or still potentially hear nothing at all tomorrow, depending on what "rank" we were given. I thought I remember them saying 1s and 2s are pretty much guaranteed an acceptance and 3s are kind of on the fence and could either be wait listed tomorrow or hear nothing until the next acceptance day. Can any other post-IIers confirm or refute this?? I've been trying so hard not to be neurotic recently but tomorrow can't come soon enough.
My ten second explanation.
Tomorrow st 6:05 pm you will either be accepted or silence. Since you’re the first wave you will go through each of the following 3 decision dates and then when those are all done in March they shrink the pool of those who are on hold for acceptance and create the waitlist.
 
So is the first VCU acceptance date 10/15 or 10/16? In the portal it says "we anticipate making offers around October 16th" but I know that MD decisions can be released tomorrow
Anyone else freaking out about tomorrow?? From what I understand based on info I've gathered at the interview and on here, if we have interviewed and the committee has already met to discuss our file (which they do on the Monday after the interview) that means we could get an A, wait list, or still potentially hear nothing at all tomorrow, depending on what "rank" we were given. I thought I remember them saying 1s and 2s are pretty much guaranteed an acceptance and 3s are kind of on the fence and could either be wait listed tomorrow or hear nothing until the next acceptance day. Can any other post-IIers confirm or refute this?? I've been trying so hard not to be neurotic recently but tomorrow can't come soon enough.
Scores of 1-3 are considered for a seat. 4-5 are not.
 
Is anyone still waiting for the initial review of their app? I submitted my secondary in mid-August and my status hasn't changed at all other than telling me my MD file is complete and waiting review.
 
if I haven’t received an interview by now, how should I take it? I called them and they said that I was in line for an interview but people are already expecting acceptances soon so this makes me extremely nervous. Even if I get an interview, would it be for a waitlist spot?? I submitted secondaries at the end of July and I’m instate. gpa:3.8 and mcat:511 Asian female
 
if I haven’t received an interview by now, how should I take it? I called them and they said that I was in line for an interview but people are already expecting acceptances soon so this makes me extremely nervous. Even if I get an interview, would it be for a waitlist spot?? I submitted secondaries at the end of July and I’m instate. gpa:3.8 and mcat:511 Asian female
Wait what? They told you that you would receive an ii eventually?
 
Wait what? They told you that you would receive an ii eventually?
I don’t think that’s what they meant. I think they just meant my application had been reviewed and assigned a score and when interview slots opened up it may mean I will get an interview. That’s what I got from them. Don’t know if they meant anything else.
 
I don’t think that’s what they meant. I think they just meant my application had been reviewed and assigned a score and when interview slots opened up it may mean I will get an interview. That’s what I got from them. Don’t know if they meant anything else.
I wouldn’t worry about not having an interview until December. They probably still have a lot of interview slots to give out. People that got acceptances today at other schools could withdraw from VCU and open up spots too.
 
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