Any current students available to answer questions?
1. Could you elaborate about the curriculum on more of a weekly basis for M1-2? Is it mostly lecture? PBL? How much is mandatory attendance?
2. Coming from a smaller city, what do you think about Houston? Would it be difficult to live in the suburbs?
3. Any thoughts about the facilities? Heard they are a bit dated but OBVIOUSLY the clinical facilities are unmatched.
4. Do most students do clinical research or basic? Is there a competitive nature around it?
I work as a research technician at BCM right now and am pretty familiar with the college and curriculum.
1. Even before COVID, many students watch the recorded lectures and don't attend class much physically. From what I've heard, mostly lecture. Obviously there are times when attendance is mandatory, though. As it says on Baylor's website, preclinical is 18 months as opposed to the usual 2 years. Students love that.
2. I currently live in an apartment 2 miles south of campus and it's great. Plenty of good, safe places to live nearby, even though it's more or less an inner-city area. I moved here just 2 months ago from a smaller city, and I love it so far. Once we get a handle on COVID the city is awesome. The med center is right next to the Houston zoo, a massive park, and the museum district. You won't find a more diverse city. There aren't a lot of close suburbs, as someone else mentioned, but public transportation is decent if you're set on living in the suburbs. Don't count on driving in every day; a parking pass anywhere at Texas Medical Center is outrageously expensive. TMC employs over 100,000 people, and obviously doesn't have that many parking spots.
3. The main Baylor building is adequate, but nothing to brag about. Everything else on TMC campus is incredible, and your experience at Baylor will not be hindered at all by an older main building and classrooms.
4. Baylor has a top-notch, robust research environment. I'm not too familiar with what most students do, but I have no doubt ANY research you desire to do will be available to you. I would say the competition is the same as at other schools, meaning those wanting to get into competitive specialties will be more competitive about research than those wanting to pursue primary care.
Hope I could help, although I'm not a student! (Yet)