2021-2022 Texas Tech, Lubbock

[1234premed]

Does TTUHSC accept update letters or letters of intent?

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[Bored_Conscious]

Does TTUHSC host a social prior to an interview? Haven't received any information about this yet so I'm curious.

 

[Bored_Conscious]

Does TTUHSC accept update letters or letters of intent?

They accept update letters. I sent one in a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Bored_Conscious]

There is!

There will be an informal virtual dinner with some of our medical students through Zoom @ 7:00 pm CST the night before your interview. Warm up your dinner, get cozy and get to know some of our current students! This is a great opportunity to ask questions about Lubbock and find out what TTUHSC School of Medicine has to offer. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to [email protected] – We would love to see you there.

School of Medicine Admissions Requirements

All the necessary information about TTUHSC's School of Medicine requirements, including prerequisites, links, contacts and next steps to apply to medical school.

www.ttuhsc.edu

Thank you! Perfect. Were they supposed to send out invitations through email? I never received one .
How do I RSVP to the event? Just provide them my TMDSAS ID and my interest in attending?

 

[premedcookielover]

Thank you! Perfect. Were they supposed to send out invitations through email? I never received one .
How do I RSVP to the event? Just provide them my TMDSAS ID and my interest in attending?

Yes, as well as your interview date and then they will email the zoom link. The event is very laid back. No need to look professional or anything lol. No one was actually eating dinner the night I went, but it's just a time for you to ask students any questions you have.

 

[Bored_Conscious]

First interview in the books. Had an amazing time. I really hope a pre-match is on its way. Fingers crossed.

Anyways, just wanted to add since I saw that some people weren't 100% sure about the changes. TTUHSC is now going p/f with no internal ranking system. AOA will be based on activities outside of academics. I assume things like being a DA, research, etc.

 

[sechellia]

Thank you! Perfect. Were they supposed to send out invitations through email? I never received one .
How do I RSVP to the event? Just provide them my TMDSAS ID and my interest in attending?

Hi, I had my interview a few weeks ago but I never received an invitation to a pre-interview social. I wonder what happened there :/
Did you eventually get an invitation and if so was it through email?

 

[Bored_Conscious]

Hi, I had my interview a few weeks ago but I never received an invitation to a pre-interview social. I wonder what happened there :/
Did you eventually get an invitation and if so was it through email?

It was actually in one of the links in the initial interview invite. You have to scroll down on the link, but it talks about a virtual dinner.

Honestly, it was kinda hidden away. Not many people knew about it. There were only about 15 to 20 people in my virtual social.

 

[Bored_Conscious]

Glad to hear it. As of about a month ago, they weren't officially sure if they would be staying true P/F. Did they indicate that it's certain for the incoming class or is it just a probably still?

I talked to the MS1s, DA, and my interviewer asked about my thoughts on step 1 going p/f and how they changed pre-clinicals to p/f...

Based off of their responses, seems like a permanent change.

 

[EMTech]

I've been told that at this school that getting high honors/high pass cut off in year 3 is much higher here than at other schools. My understnading is that the school makes it harder to get it and is largely subjective. Somethign to consider that year 3 grades matter more now & step 2 more now than year 1/2 & part 1.

 

[Bored_Conscious]

I've been told that at this school that getting high honors/high pass cut off is much higher here than at other schools. My understnading is that the school makes it harder to get it and is largely subjective. Somethign to consider that year 3 grades matter & step 2 more now than year 1/2 & part 1.

That's good to know. First time hearing about that. Do you know the cutoffs by any chance?

 

[EMTech]

That's good to know. First time hearing about that. Do you know the cutoffs by any chance?

I’ll paraphrase what I was told which I believe to be true by MS3/4 that the grading system is unfair and more subjective than at other institutions. It is also a problem communicated by a large number of people by the class – you typically hear good things from students in year 1 and 2, but not many people look into year 3 as much which is why you may not know this – but this is more important now for prospective students now that your strength of application depends mainly on year 3 grades & Step 2 CK. I have reason to believe these experiences even though most third year programs are subjective because it was compared to other schools in Texas that have lower cutoffs for high honors/honors. The attendings will be nice but the residents are “almost 100% malignant” in their grading. If you get one average evaluation it will lower your grade. The admins are not receptive to feedback for the third year and it is a combination that they can’t do anything, ignore student concerns for third year (but are good for year 1 & 2), and also they tell the rotations to give lower grades.

So if you, before the Part 1 and first 2 years went pass/fail, did well it could easily be wiped out by third year subjectiveness and sensitive grading.

The main complaint by many students is how hard it is to get a honors whereas other medical schools can be more generous and easier - for instance it is about a 92 for honors for psych which is considered the easiest rotation at most schools in the country, but that is almost impossible to get here because you have be perfect on evaluations (subjective), the shelf, and the clinical exams.

Grading is out of 11. Doctors don’t like to give 100% down the board even if you do well. So say they, with good intent, give you a 9/11, you’re at 90% you would not get honors and a pass. The school will also tell the rotation programs they should be getting 5/11 or 70%. Now if you get a 70% on an eval, it is impossible to honor or high pass even if you get a 100% on the shelf exam.

This can be an issue if you’re trying to get into competitive programs and locations. In my opinion, if you're looking to maximize your chances for the most competitive specialties you may want to consider higher-ranked programs and look at their match lists. But f you're looking to go into a regular specialty, then Texas Tech is fine for its purpose. I even see some people from Texas Tech matching into some competitive programs, but you should assume that if you get into a more prestigious program that your chances can go up if that's what you want to do. YMMV.

That said, I think Texas Tech is a fine institution and like any other program it is not perfect but has certain positives like a good first 2 year curriculum, now that it's true pass/fail that's a big benefit, friendly community, low cost of living, good weather, etc. Some downsides are petty crime (car break-ins, bike thefts, etc can be common), and you're 5 hours away from Dallas by car & the Lubbock airport can be pricey vs car.

You will be studying heavily throughout the program so you'll be spending it largely at home, in the library, or at the medical school - so location, imo, matters less - although there is a regional bias for residencies so if you want to to residency in Oregon or Massachusetts then it can be harder since a lot of programs like to recruit from their geographic regions.

 

[Bored_Conscious]

I’ll paraphrase what I was told which I believe to be true by MS3/4 that the grading system is unfair and more subjective than at other institutions. It is also a problem communicated by a large number of people by the class – you typically hear good things from students in year 1 and 2, but not many people look into year 3 as much which is why you may not know this – but this is more important now for prospective students now that your strength of application depends mainly on year 3 grades & Step 2 CK. I have reason to believe these experiences even though most third year programs are subjective because it was compared to other schools in Texas that have lower cutoffs for high honors/honors. The attendings will be nice but the residents are “almost 100% malignant” in their grading. If you get one average evaluation it will lower your grade. The admins are not receptive to feedback for the third year and it is a combination that they can’t do anything, ignore student concerns for third year (but are good for year 1 & 2), and also they tell the rotations to give lower grades.

So if you, before the Part 1 and first 2 years went pass/fail, did well it could easily be wiped out by third year subjectiveness and sensitive grading.

The main complaint by many students is how hard it is to get a honors whereas other medical schools can be more generous and easier - for instance it is about a 92 for honors for psych which is considered the easiest rotation at most schools in the country, but that is almost impossible to get here because you have be perfect on evaluations (subjective), the shelf, and the clinical exams.

Grading is out of 11. Doctors don’t like to give 100% down the board even if you do well. So say they, with good intent, give you a 9/11, you’re at 90% you would not get honors and a pass. The school will also tell the rotation programs they should be getting 5/11 or 70%. Now if you get a 70% on an eval, it is impossible to honor or high pass even if you get a 100% on the shelf exam.

This can be an issue if you’re trying to get into competitive programs and locations. In my opinion, if you're not looking to maximize your chances for the most competitive specialties you may want to consider higher-ranked programs and look at their match lists. But f you're looking to go into a regular specialty, then Texas Tech is fine for its purpose. I even see some people from Texas Tech matching into some competitive programs, but you should assume that if you get into a more prestigious program that your chances can go up if that's what you want to do. YMMV.

That said, I think Texas Tech is a fine institution and like any other program it is not perfect but has certain positives like a good first 2 year curriculum, now that it's true pass/fail that's a big benefit, friendly community, low cost of living, good weather, etc. Some downsides are petty crime (car break-ins, bike thefts, etc can be common), and you're 5 hours away from Dallas by car & the Lubbock airport can be pricey vs car.

You will be studying heavily throughout the program so you'll be spending it largely at home, in the library, or at the medical school - so location, imo, matters less - although there is a regional bias for residencies so if you want to to residency in Oregon or Massachusetts then it can be harder since a lot of programs like to recruit from their geographic regions.

Great insights. I appreciate that. Thank you!!

 

[duhhhlaney]

Has anyone who interviewed on 12/3 seen Tech pop up in their TMDSAS ranking area yet?

 

[Bored_Conscious]

Has anyone who interviewed on 12/3 seen Tech pop up in their TMDSAS ranking area yet?

I checked yesterday and it was on my tmdsas ranking area.

 

[Mean Green Raider]

Hey peeps! Current MS1 here and just wanted to chime in really quick! I personally love Tech (I did the 2 year GMS program here and now I am an MS1). There definitely have been a lot of changes to the curriculum and the organization of things THIS YEAR, so just keep that in mind when speaking to upper classmen here who didn't have the new structure. The shift of Step 1 going pass/fail has caused Tech to really reassess a lot of things, and imo, a lot of the things have changed for the better.

I also just wanted to say that there will be a facebook group created for the class & also a class discord (Those will come from the current MS1 class leadership). So I'm sure that once the class leadership gets the acceptance list they will send out those invites to those groups!

The admissions process is long and hard, and I remember how grueling it was! You're all doing great, so just stick it out and I hope to see a bunch of you on campus next year!

 

[Bored_Conscious]

Does anyone know if TTUHSC will be sending out another batch of prematch before Match day?

 

[absolutbuffoon]

Just got an IS pre-match acceptance! complete early november, interviewed 12/3!

 

[absolutbuffoon]

Around 1 AM?! Congratulations!!!

no, it was around 4 pm, haha. i just had to celebrate for nine hours before i thought to report it

 

[kyukenmyo]

Just got notice of MD PhD acceptance, 12/19/2021! Not sure how much this helps ya'll, but just keep in mind most MD match results will not be available until March. Hang in there everyone!!

 

[deleted1119710]

so i interviewed for fmat and haven’t heard anything. Are there still a chance that I’ll match to fmat, or if match result is only for typical 4 yrs program?

 

[deleted1119710]

You can still match into FMAT!

Thank you!

 

[Hiiii_Dr_Nick]

so i interviewed for fmat and haven’t heard anything. Are there still a chance that I’ll match to fmat, or if match result is only for typical 4 yrs program?

I matched and then got a separate acceptance for FMAT a few days later

 

[deleted1119710]

I matched and then got a separate acceptance for FMAT a few days later

Wow, that’s great to know. Thank you!
Do you know how many fmat students are in each campus after pre-clerkship? Is it possible to request to stay at one campus over the others?

 

[NTLTQ]

Late post, hopefully it helps someone. Submitted secondary early September, Interviewed late November, and pre-match offer received 16 Dec.

 

[wysdoc]

Late post, hopefully it helps someone. Submitted secondary early September, Interviewed late November, and pre-match offer received 16 Dec.

Welcome to SDN, thanks for sharing your news

 

[Rez_nov]

2021-2022 Texas Tech, Lubbock

Any clue on when OS students can expect IIs? Thanks.

forums.studentdoctor.net

According to this, there are 4 more interview days left. I'm curious if anyone has gotten an invite to interview on 01/28/2022?

I'm wondering the same, are they still sending out invites? I've been on radio silent since like July. Either way, wishing the best for everyone else!

 

[scaredpremed12345]

Has anyone gotten a prematch offer lately? I interviewed 11/19, saw some prematch offers so I have hope. Also, I believe according to TMDSAS, 1/28, this Friday is the last day to get a prematch offer correct?

TMDSAS website says 1/29 but that’s a Saturday so I assume Friday 1/28 is the last day

 

[wysdoc]

TMDSAS website says 1/29 but that’s a Saturday so I assume Friday 1/28 is the last day

TMDSAS website says Jan 29, so why assume that means Jan 28?

 

[Dr.Wab0705]

Any idea when out of state interviews may get decisions? Don’t know too much about the Texas system but I interviewed in early October.

 

[wysdoc]

Any idea when out of state interviews may get decisions? Don’t know too much about the Texas system but I interviewed in early October.

Any time between October 15 and orientation date, but most likely by April 30. Remember the class is limited to 10% OOS matriculants.

 

[_PharmDtoMD_]

For those who interviewed, how long did your school ranking preference take to appear in TMDSAS?

 

[Bored_Conscious]

For those who interviewed, how long did your school ranking preference take to appear in TMDSAS?

No later than 3 days after interview for me.

 

[_PharmDtoMD_]

No later than 3 days after interview for me.

It’s been a couple weeks for me but I’m sure it’ll happen when it happens! Thanks!

 

[deleted1102547]

When you say P/F with no internal ranking - has that been confirmed by the dean and school? Where can I find this info on the website?

It's still unofficially decided. They are leaning P/F.

 

[deleted1102547]

During my informal virtual dinner thing with the DA's before my interview, this question was asked, and they responded by saying they are going true P/F with no ranking. So I am pretty sure it is going to happen at this point

When was that dinner? At a Q/A with some faculty curriculum director, they were saying it was probable but unofficial in November.

 

[Bored_Conscious]

During my informal virtual dinner thing with the DA's before my interview, this question was asked, and they responded by saying they are going true P/F with no ranking. So I am pretty sure it is going to happen at this point

Yup. They also said it during the actual interview itself. True P/F with no internal ranking is pretty much set in stone.

 

[_PharmDtoMD_]

I was told Tech is pretty match heavy and fills the majority of their class on match day. Has anyone here heard the same?

 

[Khroniik]

Any TTUHSC med. students here know if they're giving more time for Part 2 with the new curriculum phase change thing?

From: Academic Calendars | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center if you look at year 3

When I look at class of 2025 (new curriculum): it says Clerkship 1 starts on May 8, 2023 and Clerkship 6 ends on April 19, 2024.

But for previous years it started on June 6ish and ends around May 19, 2023.

Does that mean incoming students get a month off to study for Part 2?

Still up in the air exactly what the transition from Phase 2 to Phase 3 will look like, as far as I know.

Here's the latest progress report from the Curriculum Reneweal Steering Committee, from October of last year: https://www.ttuhsc.edu/medicine/academic-affairs/documents/SC_ProgressReport_2021_10_04.pdf

It would seem to indicate a dedicated study period being available for Step 2 CK from 4/22-5/17.

 

[Khroniik]

Thank you. Are you a student at TTUHSC? Does anyone know if Lubbock provides prosected cadavers for anatomy lab or do students have to do full dissections?

MS1, yeah. The majority of anatomic instruction is hands-on as of now, in which students complete their own dissections in groups. Certain regions of the body that are difficult or time-consuming to dissect might be prosection only.

Prosections completed by GMS students are available during each dissection to visualize what structures should look like.

 

[Khroniik]

Thank you.

Some questions if you have a moment:

• How's your experience been so far at TTUHSC Lubbock? I hear the first semester can be a shock and stressful from undergrad. Do you find the 2nd semester to be better and/or less stressful than 1st semester?
• Do you find Lubbock an ok city to live in?
• Do you have only exams for blocks or do you also have quizzes, lab practicals, and clinical exams that you have to do?
• Do you have any free time in the week for personal hobbies? How many hours a day are students typically studying vs. hours of free time and also over the weekend?
• Where would you recommend living for a 1bed/1bath?
• What are the best tips for doing well on exams? Can you study exclusively using Step 1 materials or do you need to watch the lectures to do well on exams?
• Since lectures are streaming and attendance are not mandatory, how often do you really need to be on campus every week in the 1st vs. 2nd semester?
• Is anatomy lab every day in semester 1 and do you have any more labs after the 1st semester?

Depends on your foundations and learning style. It can be a shock to the system to get started, yeah, but it's manageable and the vast majority of my class acclimated well within the first two weeks or so. Some people are more stressed now than during the first semester, some less so. The pacing of the classes we have now is probably faster than that of the first semester.

I've lived here for 23 years, so I'm not the best person to ask in terms of acclimation. I like Lubbock, for what it's worth.

Depends on the block. DOCS is our clinical instruction and is longitudinal, so there's DOCS sessions, which are basically standardized patient encounters, throughout all blocks. Exams are the majority of grades, and are usually spaced two or three weeks apart. Quizzes and other minor contributions to grades are block dependent.

I have plenty of free time, but I'm also a middle-of-the-pack kinda guy who just shoots for class average, so mileage may vary. I know some people who study 100+ hours per week, every week, and some who invest 30-40 hours a week and do just fine. This largely depends on your background.

Living situation will depend on your transportation availability and budget. Most people recommend the Renaissance at North Park (Renaissance at North Park Apartments | Lubbock, TX | Welcome Home) if you have access to a vehicle. There's plenty of student living options around the undergrad campus. I don't recommend The Edge. Presentations over living assignments are typically available during Spring Training, if you attend that.

You can probably study using Step 1 prep resources and do just fine. I used First Aid as a primary study resource during biochemistry and related subjects, but I have a strong biochemistry and molecular biology background, so mileage may vary. The Step 1 resources that tie into the curriculum are historically provided by the school (Sketchy, Pathoma, etc.). Certain questions will come directly from lecture material in a lot of units, so faculty advises everyone to use lectures as their primary resource.

Anatomy is the block during which you'll have the most mandatory on-campus activities. Other blocks will have a smattering of mandatory in-person stuff, most likely, including some dry labs and other group activities. I can't really speak to what the Class of 2026's anatomy experience will look like, given the ever-changing landscape of COVID precautions.

 

[Khroniik]

Great advice!

> DOCS is our clinical instruction and is longitudinal, so there's DOCS sessions, which are basically standardized patient encounters, throughout all blocks.

Is DOCS done inside blocks or between them? Are DOCS difficult, challenging, and/or time consuming? Do you find these sessions to be educational or do they get in the way of block exam prep since it seems not all med. schools do “DOCS” stuff in year 1/2.

> I have plenty of free time, but I'm also a middle-of-the-pack kinda guy who just shoots for class average, so mileage may vary. I know some people who study 100+ hours per week, every week, and some who invest 30-40 hours a week and do just fine. This largely depends on your background.

Now that Step 1 is pass/fail and TTUHSC Lubbock is going “true pass/fail” with no internal ranking, to me it doesn’t make sense to put in 100 hours a week IMO. For yourself, how many hours a week do you tend to study during the day/week and do you tend to take the weekends off? How many hours do students typically stay in anatomy lab? A girl at TTUHSC said she was doing about 20 hours a week in anatomy lab in the first semester.

> The Edge

The Edge seems run down but it’s a 3 minute walk to campus right? I was trying to find a 1BR/1Bath house with backyard but a lot of the housing seems run down around the $1k mark. Maybe better rental offering will be available to lease as we get closer to summer I’m hoping.

DOCS is done inside of blocks. Nothing too demanding. Most people do just fine with 1-2 hours of preparation and the actual session, which is around an hour and a half. Opinions on DOCS will vary. Some people think the sessions get in the way of prepping for exams, other people enjoy them. Personally I enjoy them, even when they fall during stressful periods like exam weeks. They're definitely helpful, especially for those who don't have clinical experience.

20 hours a week in the anatomy lab during anatomy is about right for a lot of people. I don't know how it will be for subsequent classes, but for our class we had 1-2 dissections per week for 4-5 hours each, and the lab was open most every night for free review. I would typically go to the evening sessions 3-4 times a week for 3-4 hours at a time, but some of that was just for fun and to review with multiple groups of people to gain different perspectives.

I don't personally set a study schedule like x hours per day or always having a set day or days off, but a lot of people do and they're successful. Most everyone takes every other weekend or every third weekend off, depending on the block, as these weekends follow exams.

The Edge is super close, yeah, but I know 4-5 people who live there and no one has pleasant things to say about the experience. It's kind of a meme in our Discord. They used to be nice. If you're looking for a house you'll probably want something in Tech Terrace, which is a neighborhood south of the undergrad campus, 5-8 minute drive from the HSC. If you're deadset on living alone in a 1/1, that may be hard to come by outside of apartment complexes, but if you're down to room with someone you'll have a lot more options in terms of finding a house with a backyard. There should be a Google Sheets spreadsheet made sometime after your class's Facebook page gets created for finding a roommate, if that's something you're interested in.

 

[Khroniik]

So is the first semester essentially anatomy and anatomy lab from August 2, 2021 until Winter break or is there other major courses you do too?



A friend at TTUHSC says he studies about 30 hours a week in total including on campus requirements - would you say you study about the same each week? Sounds cozy and better than a 9-5 job with 1 hour round trip commute/week (45 hrs/week) honestly especially with streaming lectures from home in pajamas.

> Patient, Physicians and Populations

How's PPP (Patient, Physicians and Populations): I see it runs from August 2, 2021 - August 6, 2021 and again October 18, 2021 - October 22, 2021. Is that related to DOCS?

Anatomy usually lasts until mid-October or so. Ours ran from August 9, 2021 to October 15, 2021. General Principles (GPX) was our next block, from October 25, 2021 to winter break. GPX is basically biochemistry and molecular biology.

Yep, 30 hours a week is about average for me, during the current block (Organ Systems I) and the previous block (GPX). AH&E was probably more like 45-80, but I didn't take an undergraduate anatomy class. This will vary highly depending on the block and an individual's background.

P3 and DOCS are grouped together for administrative purposes, but their material is different. For P3 you're divided into small groups, each of which will be assigned a faculty mentor or two. These groups meet once per month and talk about something related to the social determinants of health, medical ethics, and the like. P3 weeks, like you've outlined running from August 2-6, take place between blocks of pre-clinical instruction and are typically composed of guest lectures with an overarching theme. Credit is earned by attending a certain number of provided lectures, and there may be things like group projects (i.e. we did a group project where each P3 group was assigned to shadow a local community service organization and generate a presentation about said organization). Most people see P3 weeks as a welcome break between the blocks.

 

[islandlarry]

I applied early decision and interviewed 8/13. I got pushed to the regular applicant pool on 8/23. Its been complete radio silence since. I'm struggling to understand if that means anything or if I am overthinking it. Do they accept update letters? I feel like I should send one noting that they're my #1 school but a part of also thinks that I would've been rejected by now if I wasn't going to get in. I'm desperate for any insight haha. Any help is appreciated!

 

[islandlarry]

They do accept update letters however since it is after their 11/15 deadline, they will let it sit in their inbox and reference it if and when the committee sees fit or needs it. It couldn’t hurt but I’d say at this point it’s a moot point. I say this after doing the same myself, and hearing back from the school about their policy regarding this.

Got it. Guess I’m gonna have tough it out for 30 and just pray I get good news on match day. Thanks!

 

[itsmista2u]

I have a few questions.
1) I heard that they might be keeping P/F for preclinicals. Is that correct? Is this a true P/F?
2) Can anybody share some insight on a sample schedule of a typical week of preclinicals? I want to know if most lectures are mandatory. And if anybody can link a sample schedule that would be greatly appreciated.
3) And are the clinical years fully spent in either Amarillo, Permian basin, or Lubbock? Or are you just doing small rotations at the different locations?

 

[hovvdyyall]

Pre-II R received this afternoon. Good luck everyone!

 

[Hiiii_Dr_Nick]

I have a few questions.
1) I heard that they might be keeping P/F for preclinicals. Is that correct? Is this a true P/F?
2) Can anybody share some insight on a sample schedule of a typical week of preclinicals? I want to know if most lectures are mandatory. And if anybody can link a sample schedule that would be greatly appreciated.
3) And are the clinical years fully spent in either Amarillo, Permian basin, or Lubbock? Or are you just doing small rotations at the different locations?

1) I'm a current MS1, our class is P/F no rank for the entirety of pre-clinical and I'd be shocked if at least the next few aren't as well. I'm not involved in any of the student committees that might have insight into how future classes might operate but I'd almost guarantee the class of 2026 will follow the same setup as ours.

2) Here's a rundown of what a given week is like in Anatomy which this year lasted from the 2nd week of August until Mid October
- 2 to 3 hours of lecture starting between 8 am and 9 am and going until 11 or noon 4-5 days a week - not mandatory attendance - recording available same day in the afternoon.
- Anatomy lab 1 or 2 times a week each lasting 4 hours from 1 pm to 5 pm. Tanks of 6 are divided into A and B groups of 3 people. You alternate lab days so one week you might go twice, the next week once. For the labs your group does not work on directly, you are required to attend a 1 and half hour review in the lab the following day. So in total, you are in the lab 3 times a week, averaging around 8 hours or so total per week.
- There are also docs sessions mixed in that are mandatory and last 3 hours or so, I believe there were 2 during the anatomy block.

The unit after anatomy, General Principles (GPX) has more lecture hours which are also not mandatory but with no labs, although there are "dry labs" offered which are in person and are recommended.

3) Your 3rd year will be done entirely in one of the 3 locations you mentioned. Lubbock is divided into UMC and Covenant and you do all of your core rotations within the same system. I imagine by the time we are all in 4th-year things will be back to normal in terms of the ability to travel for away "audition" rotations. That year will most likely be up to you in terms of where you'd like to do your elective rotations, though I'm not entirely sure how all of it will be organized.

 

[deleted880732]

1) I'm a current MS1, our class is P/F no rank for the entirety of pre-clinical and I'd be shocked if at least the next few aren't as well. I'm not involved in any of the student committees that might have insight into how future classes might operate but I'd almost guarantee the class of 2026 will follow the same setup as ours.

2) Here's a rundown of what a given week is like in Anatomy which this year lasted from the 2nd week of August until Mid October
- 2 to 3 hours of lecture starting between 8 am and 9 am and going until 11 or noon 4-5 days a week - not mandatory attendance - recording available same day in the afternoon.
- Anatomy lab 1 or 2 times a week each lasting 4 hours from 1 pm to 5 pm. Tanks of 6 are divided into A and B groups of 3 people. You alternate lab days so one week you might go twice, the next week once. For the labs your group does not work on directly, you are required to attend a 1 and half hour review in the lab the following day. So in total, you are in the lab 3 times a week, averaging around 8 hours or so total per week.
- There are also docs sessions mixed in that are mandatory and last 3 hours or so, I believe there were 2 during the anatomy block.

The unit after anatomy, General Principles (GPX) has more lecture hours which are also not mandatory but with no labs, although there are "dry labs" offered which are in person and are recommended.

3) Your 3rd year will be done entirely in one of the 3 locations you mentioned. Lubbock is divided into UMC and Covenant and you do all of your core rotations within the same system. I imagine by the time we are all in 4th-year things will be back to normal in terms of the ability to travel for away "audition" rotations. That year will most likely be up to you in terms of where you'd like to do your elective rotations, though I'm not entirely sure how all of it will be organized.

Would you say you have much control over where you rotate? My student interviewer was honest about not getting to go where he wanted... For rankings, I'm considering if I went to tech it would be hard to move out of Lubbock after just a few years (married and have my husband's career to consider for a move)

 

[Hiiii_Dr_Nick]

Would you say you have much control over where you rotate? My student interviewer was honest about not getting to go where he wanted... For rankings, I'm considering if I went to tech it would be hard to move out of Lubbock after just a few years (married and have my husband's career to consider for a move)

Over the summer before you start MS-1 they have everyone fill out a form that includes a ranking of your preferred 3rd-year sites. They have a few criteria that they consider when deciding where to place you. If you're married and your spouse has a local job or is currently enrolled in a full-time in-person program in Lubbock or one of the other sites, they will give you that location. Some of the other factors they consider are if you have kids that are enrolled in school or daycare in that area and if you own a house that was purchased more than a year before school begins (basically that you've owned a house in that area prior to being accepted.)

I was in a similar position to you and I got assigned a Lubbock location so you should be in good shape. If you don't meet one of the criteria I mentioned, they run some kind of lottery and try to take the preferences you submit as part of their assignment process.