2023-2024 UT San Antonio (Long)

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glossygirl said:
Do you guys know what most people wore to the luncheon? I'm currently overthinking what semi-causal means lol
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clean clothes, pants not leggings
Semi-casual is an odd term.
Business casual may be what you're going for
It's gonna be cold wear a coat
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glossygirl said:
Do you guys know what most people wore to the luncheon? I'm currently overthinking what semi-causal means lol
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when i went, people were basically on the more relaxed end of business casual. like i'd still wear slacks (or whatever you'd normally wear for pants in a business casual fit), but for tops a lot of people were wearing polos/sweaters/blouses rather than a formal button-down.
 
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II just now too! Caught me off guard lol I didn’t even realize they were still interviewing
 
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I talked to a resident who recently graduated from Long who mentioned there were plans to add an integrated plastics program. Can anyone confirm if this is in the works?
 
kit10 said:
Great questions! I'll share my thoughts:

1. I like Long! When I reflect on what I've learned, I realize how much it is. I know what physical exams to do for certain conditions, I know a lot about anatomy (shoutout to Dr. Rahimi and Dr. O for being my all time favorite teachers!), and I know a lot about pathology. I genuinely cannot imagine myself elsewhere. I'm happy, which I think is big!


2. Pros: Something for everyone, big city but small feel, good housing that is fairly priced, passionate teachers, knowledgeable teachers, genuine interest in you doing well, lots of opportunities to explore interests and medical fields, it's a big school where you have a hospital right down the hall, lots of students that aren't medical student (they have a dental school, nursing school, etc.), cost is low and there are plenty of scholarship opportunities, staff at all levels care about you as a person as well as a student, no cap on the number of students who can honor
In between: Grading, cannot review tests after you take them, 7-8 minute walk from Lot 3 parking to lecture hall
Cons: I feel a car is a necessity for San Antonio, they accidentally oversold parking which can be annoying some days (if it's 10 AM means you'll probably have to park in Lot 5 which is about a 15-minute walk to the lecture hall), sometimes there are moments where the onus is placed on the student versus the school to find out information/opportunities but I think this is because they want to make sure you are doing what you want to do because YOU want to do it and not because they want you to do it


3. I don't mind it. My classmates and I do NOT compete against each other -- in fact, the greatest support network at my school in terms of learning is definitely my peers. We have a Google Drive where we share notes, anki decks, and really uplift each other. One guy in our class brings cakes before and after big exams. Grading is F/P/HP/H, and one thing I wish I had known beforehand was how that worked out.

F = 69.99 and below

P = 70 to 84.99 (equivalent to a B with 3.00 for GPA)

HP = 85 to 89.99 (equivalent to a B+ with 3.50 for GPA)

H = 90+ (equivalent to an A with 4.00 for GPA)

If you fail a class or have to remediate, then you get a Remediate Pass once you complete the course which is a 2.00 for GPA.

I want to also point out that you cannot review your big tests, aka the ones where you sit down in the auditorium to take that aren't the weekly quizzes. I always liked learning from my mistakes, so I wish I had known that beforehand instead of getting caught by surprise. It's a "meh" point for me - neither good nor bad.

Your first semester is the busiest (or at least that's what I've been told!) because you have three classes going on at once. After that, you have one class and then the occasional clinical skills. Each class has a different GPA weight, and surprisingly the smallest one is your anatomy course at a value of 5.4 hours/weight while clinical skills (much easier class and most get honors!) has a weight of 14ish. Don't feel bad if you get Passes in your first few classes. Don't feel bad if your first test doesn't go your way. No matter where you go, medical school is hard especially in that first semester. It's important to go somewhere they care and can help you get the resources you need to make it. For example, inanatomy, there were opportunities for students to get extra help on the material through lecture content reviews and lab review sessions.


4. Mandatory classes depend on the class! For the first semester, we had to attend 12/15 lectures at a minimum, and those were mostly just group activities. The required ones are marked in the schedule. You're required to go to histo (generally on Thursdays) and an additional class called synthesis (every Friday). These were great chances to hang out with my classmates. Other lectures are not required. You're not required to go to anatomy lecture, but you are required to go to the anatomy lab which for the most part is on Monday and Thursday afternoons. I will not have anatomy again until spring of my 2nd year where we focus on arms/legs. Our first semester we covered head/chest/trunk in anatomy. Dr. O and Dr. Rahimi are amazing lecturers and I recommend going to anatomy lecture if you want. Both of them want you to succeed!


5. I can't speak much about AOA or internal ranking at this time so I will review our handbook and ask around to see what information is available.


6/7. There are a ton of opportunities at Long and San Antonio, which makes sense since it is the 7th largest city in the nation. From free clinics to mentorship, there's something for everyone. I have a 2 bed/2 bath in a nice part of town for $1600/month. I found that I was able to still engage with my hobbies even during this first semester, and I really look forward to the opportunities I'll have to continue engaging with them in the upcoming semester. I had my choice when it came to medical schools, and I feel I made the right call. I have great friends, I feel happy, and I also (most important!) feel quite optimistic about the future.

As always, though, it is what you make of it which will be true no matter where you go. I put some energy in and I got good things out. Your first semester probably shouldn't be grinding ECs -- it should be about getting your feet under you! Take things at your own pace, but don't forget that medicine is a people business. It's important to do more than go from your home to the library and then home again at the end of the day. My class had 240 people in it, and I assume the class of 2028 will have a similar number. You have plenty of opportunities to carve out your place and find people to be friends with. Your classmates, both older peers and those in your class, are your greatest allies.

It's been just a few months, and I feel like I've grown and learned so much. I have had a great time at Long SOM and I do recommend it! Lmk if you have further questions. These are just my first pass thoughts.
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Thank you so much! Does anyone know if they use NBME?
 
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IJUSTWANTOPARTYDOC said:
@Hartroc @kit10 How do y'all feel about Long in general? Any big pros or cons stick out to you, especially in comparison to what you know about other Texas medical schools? Do you like the pre-clinical/clinical grading scheme? (and any details on grading you could give would be appreciated) When/for what is attendance mandatory? Internal ranking/AOA? How do you feel about the opportunities and resources at Long (clinical and non-clinical volunteering, research, rotation sites/quality, mental and physical health resources, financial aid/scholarships, professors, simulations, career guidance/mentorship)? How do you feel about living in San Antonio/life outside of medical school?
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I agree with pretty much all of kit10's answers, but I will fill in a few more details and personal observations as a seasoned, grizzled fourth-year.
  • I love Long. It's been a fabulous experience for me. I can't compare it to other Texas schools since I'm an out-of-stater and this is the only one I interviewed at, but I've had a great time here. If it weren't so damn hot and my family weren't all out of state, I would happily stay at this program for residency.
  • Biggest Pros:
    • A full week of study time at the end of each block during preclinical is HUGE. I legitimately don't know what I would have done without that.
    • I think things are different now (we were the first Step 1 P/F cohort), but a big draw for me went I was an MS2 was the four-month block after preclinical, which we could use however we wanted. Some people would do dedicated Step study for most of the block. Some worked on research or did early rotations or even just vacationed. For me, I managed to do a bit of everything: took Step, took a break, take a month-long elective, and then started a two-month MS3 rotation. All before MS3 technically started. It was a busy few months, but I'm reaping the benefits now as an MS4--I haven't had a "real" rotation since October, and I am very much enjoying my life of leisure before residency starts. Even if there have been changes, I think there is still a lot of room for flexibility, so you can build your MS4 year basically however you want.
    • The anatomy course is incredible, and one of my favorite parts of medical school (still going into psychiatry though lol). I agree that Dr. Rahimi is the GOAT. The class behind us made T-shirts of his face with a few of his famous catch phrases on them, and I definitely bought one.
    • Large school with lots of faculty means tons of networking opportunities and electives. The faculty are, for the most part, amazing and passionate teachers.
    • Administration is quite responsive and seems to care about students. They were very supportive during one of my family emergencies.
    • The student-run free clinics are amazing. Most schools are lucky to have one. UTHSCSA has SIX different clinics serving different populations. Really cool opportunity to stay involved during the preclinical years, and coordinating one of the clinics is a great opportunity if you're interested in leadership.
    • I think the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics is also great, depending on your interests. Lots of opportunities in global health, community service (it supports the student-run free clinics and other initiatives), ethics, and the arts.
    • Fun, supportive environment.
  • Biggest cons:
    • Quite a few mandatory quizzes (multiple a week) during preclinical. This is a minor complaint though. And I admit it forced me to stay on a strict schedule which was helpful.
    • Synthesis was occasionally fun and useful, but mostly felt superfluous.
    • Grading system is arguably a con, though it didn't feel that way to me since I did well. There's no limit to the number of Honors students, which helps with the non-competitive environment.
    • Parking is expensive and can be a LONG walk. Sometimes it takes me less time to get to clinics all the way downtown than it does to get to our lecture halls or University Hospital, because the parking lot is so far from the school. Some people live close enough to campus to walk, but in my experience those tended to be either smaller/older or more expensive than similar places a little farther out.
    • It's arguable whether this is a con, but our school requires you to do 4 weeks each of EM and neuro during MS3, on top of the other six core rotations that almost every US student takes (IM, FM, peds, OBGYN, surgery, psych). Those were some of my favorite rotations--child neuro is a very underrated specialty!--but the tradeoff is that you can't do any electives during MS3 year because it is completely full of required rotations. This might be a challenge if you want to do a more niche specialty like ophthalmology and want to get some earlier experience. The exception is that, if you do an early rotation during the end of MS2 year, that block will be left open in MS3 for however you want to spend it.
  • Attendance
    • kit10 laid out required attendance during the preclinical years. Speaking more generally, as of this month there is a brand-new attendance policy. Every academic year, each student will get a number of days in each category. Some, like flex/personal days, need to be planned 30+ days in advance.
      • Health days (e.g., sick, doctor appointments): 14
      • Flex days (e.g., conferences, interviews, holy days, marriages): 6
      • Personal days (other "life events"): 4
      • Urgent Crises (drawn from the other categories, with a maximum total of 24).
  • Ranking/AOA
    • We are ranked, and it's not even that "internal." Twice during med school, you will receive an email containing your rank relative to all other students. They actually give you the specific number (eg, 69 out of 220), but the only thing that matters for residency is your quartile since that's what goes on your MSPE (Dean's Letter) when you apply to residency. If you happen to be number one (this year we had a tie between like ~15 people with perfect grades), they will also note that on your letter.
    • There are two opportunities for AOA, junior and senior.
      • Junior: Top 10% of the class is eligible to apply, of which only ten can be inducted. (So in a class of 220, 22 people woul be invited to apply and only 10 would be selected). The application is basically your resume (including hours spent on specific activities) plus a 500-word essay on your commitment to "serve the suffering." They have a selection committee that deidentifies applications and ranks people based on strength of application. If you aren't selected for Junior AOA, you can get a second chance as a senior.
      • Senior AOA invites the top 25% of the class to apply. I'm not sure what percent of that gets inducted, but it's definitely more than 10. This happens fairly early in MS4 year, so you have time to include AOA on residency applications if you're selected.
  • Opportunities/Resources
    • Free student counseling/mental health resources are great and easily accessible. Highly recommended.
    • The Veritas peer mentoring group you're assigned is a good resource as well, giving you access not only to MS2s and MS4s but also at least one faculty and probably some residents as well. Everyone in Veritas is super nice an always excited to help. You have monthly-ish meetings, plus opportunities to meet with all the advisors one-on-one.
    • Rotation sites are very strong! Depending on the rotation, you have a lot of potential places you can go, and most rotations take your preference into consideration at least a little (they usually send out a form asking you to rank your preferred sites by priority). In addition to UH, you can also rotate at the VA, Christus Santa Rosa, and any number of other clinics and facilities around San Antonio. Some of my favorite sites were the RBG, which is a nice UT clinic downtown with FM/OB/peds and other specialties. On psych I got to spend time at TWO different juvenile detention centers and a shelter for homeless youth which was awesome.
    • As an out-of-state student, the cost of attendance here really can't be beat. They told me that as long as I filled out the scholarship application every year, I was basically guaranteed a "scholarship" every year which would also waive the out-of-state tuition cost. I've only paid in-state tuition despite not being a TX resident, so I'm in MUCH less debt than all my friends in other states, including even those at most public/state programs. There's just one short scholarship application that you resubmit every year, which enrolls you for consideration for all the school scholarships. I've received at least a few hundred dollars every year, but one year I guess I wrote some good essays or something because I got an extra $6,000.
  • San Antonio
    • I can't compare San Antonio to other cities in Texas since I haven't spent much time in any of them, but overall I'd say its a decent city. Despite being the 7th largest city in the country by population, it really does NOT feel that way at all since the city is spread out over a pretty big geographical area. Traffic is mid--usually not terrible except at rush hour, and nowhere near as bad as LA or NY or even Austin.
    • Lots of good restaurants in a variety of cuisines, especially Mexican and Mediterranean. My wife and I have eaten at over 100 different restaurants in the city and still have a "to-try" list a mile long, so you won't be hurting for options. I do wish there was better Korean food, but you can't win 'em all.
    • There are some nice places to hang out around town, notably The Pearl and the riverwalk. Some people don't like the riverwalk, but personally I think it's super charming, especially during the holidays when it's all twinkly and lit up. Admittedly everything on the riverwalk is overpriced.
    • I do wish we got more concerts in town, but Austin isn't too terrible of a drive to see most of my favorite bands when they come through. I enjoy the Majestic and Tobin theaters which bring pretty big travelign Broadway shows into town every few months.
    • The San Antonio airport is small and expensive, which is annoying if you like traveling or have family out of state.
    • The summers are almost unbearably hot (for me). It's sad because it limits the amount of outdoor stuff you can do in the summer.
Hope that's helpful, and sorry for the late response! I don't check SDN much these days anymore. Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.
 
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Katalum said:
Thank you! Just curious what's the consensus on how well the in-house exams prepare you for the STEP exams
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The overlap isn't perfect, but it's not terrible either. Some blocks prepare you better than others. I did most of my studying with B&B, Pathoma, Sketchy (for micro), Pixorize (for biochem, immuno, neuroanatomy, and pharm). I was also a diligent Anki-er, doing reviews everyday from the AnKing deck. I would also skim lectures for any info/topics that weren't in the other resources and supplement AnKing with a few homemade cards. I was able to pass step fairly easily with this strategy.
 
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Hartroc said:
I agree with pretty much all of kit10's answers, but I will fill in a few more details and personal observations as a seasoned, grizzled fourth-year.
  • I love Long. It's been a fabulous experience for me. I can't compare it to other Texas schools since I'm an out-of-stater and this is the only one I interviewed at, but I've had a great time here. If it weren't so damn hot and my family weren't all out of state, I would happily stay at this program for residency.
  • Biggest Pros:
    • A full week of study time at the end of each block during preclinical is HUGE. I legitimately don't know what I would have done without that.
    • I think things are different now (we were the first Step 1 P/F cohort), but a big draw for me went I was an MS2 was the four-month block after preclinical, which we could use however we wanted. Some people would do dedicated Step study for most of the block. Some worked on research or did early rotations or even just vacationed. For me, I managed to do a bit of everything: took Step, took a break, take a month-long elective, and then started a two-month MS3 rotation. ll before MS3 technically started. It was a busy few months, but I'm reaping the benefits now as an MS4--I haven't had a "real" rotation since October, and I am very much enjoying my life of leisure before residency starts. Even if there have been changes, I think there is still a lot of room for flexibility, so you can build your MS4 year basically however you want.
    • The anatomy course is incredible, and one of my favorite parts of medical school (still going into psychiatry though lol). I agree that Dr. Rahimi is the GOAT. The class behind us made T-shirts of his face with a few of his famous catch phrases on them, and I definitely bought one.
    • Large school with lots of faculty means tons of networking opportunities and electives. The faculty are, for the most part, amazing and passionate teachers.
    • Administration is quite responsive and seems to care about students. They were very supportive during one of my family emergencies.
    • The student-run free clinics are amazing. Most schools are lucky to have one. UTHSCSA has SIX different clinics serving different populations. Really cool opportunity to stay involved during the preclinical years, and coordinating one of the clinics is a great opportunity if you're interested in leadership.
    • I think the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics is also great, depending on your interests. Lots of opportunities in global health, community service (it supports the student-run free clinics and other initiatives), ethics, and the arts.
    • Fun, supportive environment.
  • Biggest cons:
    • Quite a few mandatory quizzes (multiple a week) during preclinical. This is a minor complaint though, and I have to
    • Grading system is arguably a con, though it didn't feel that way to me since I did well. There's no limit to the number of Honors students, which helps with the non-competitive environment.
    • Parking is expensive and can be a LONG walk. Sometimes it takes me less time to get to clinics all the way downtown than it does to get to our lecture halls or University Hospital, because the parking lot is so far from the school. Some people live close enough to campus to walk, but in my experience those tended to be either smaller/older or more expensive than similar places a little farther out.
    • It's arguable whether this is a con, but our school requires you to do 4 weeks each of EM and neuro during MS3, on top of the other six core rotations that almost every US student takes (IM, FM, peds, OBGYN, surgery, psych). Those were some of my favorite rotations--child neuro is a very underrated specialty!--but the tradeoff is that you can't do any electives during MS3 year because it is completely full of required rotations. This might be a challenge if you want to do a more niche specialty like ophthalmology and want to get some earlier experience. The exception is that, if you do an early rotation during the end of MS2 year, that block will be left open in MS3 for however you want to spend it.
  • Attendance
    • kit10 laid out required attendance during the preclinical years. Speaking more generally, as of this month there is a brand-new attendance policy. Every academic year, each student will get a number of days in each category. Some, like flex/personal days, need to be planned 30+ days in advance.
      • Health days (e.g., sick, doctor appointments): 14
      • Flex days (e.g., conferences, interviews, holy days, marriages): 6
      • Personal days (other "life events"): 4
      • Urgent Crises (drawn from the other categories, with a maximum total of 24).
  • Ranking/AOA
    • We are ranked, and it's not even that "internal." Twice during med school, you will receive an email containing your rank relative to all other students. They actually give you the specific number (eg, 69 out of 220), but the only thing that matters for residency is your quartile since that's what goes on your MSPE (Dean's Letter) when you apply to residency. If you happen to be number one (this year we had a tie between like ~15 people with perfect grades), they will also note that on your letter.
    • There are two opportunities for AOA, junior and senior.
      • Junior: Top 10% of the class is eligible to apply, of which only ten can be inducted. (So in a class of 220, 22 people woul be invited to apply and only 10 would be selected). The application is basically your resume (including hours spent on specific activities) plus a 500-word essay on your commitment to "serve the suffering." They have a selection committee that deidentifies applications and ranks people based on strength of application. If you aren't selected for Junior AOA, you can get a second chance as a senior.
      • Senior AOA invites the top 25% of the class to apply. I'm not sure what percent of that gets inducted, but it's definitely more than 10. This happens fairly early in MS4 year, so you have time to include AOA on residency applications if you're selected.
  • Opportunities/Resources
    • Free student counseling/mental health resources are great and easily accessible. Highly recommended.
    • The Veritas peer mentoring group you're assigned is a good resource as well, giving you access not only to MS2s and MS4s but also at least one faculty and probably some residents as well. Everyone in Veritas is super nice an always excited to help. You have monthly-ish meetings, plus opportunities to meet with all the advisors one-on-one.
    • Rotation sites are very strong! Depending on the rotation, you have a lot of potential places you can go, and most rotations take your preference into consideration at least a little (they usually send out a form asking you to rank your preferred sites by priority). In addition to UH, you can also rotate at the VA, Christus Santa Rosa, and any number of other clinics and facilities around San Antonio. Some of my favorite sites were the RBG, which is a nice UT clinic downtown with FM/OB/peds and other specialties. On psych I got to spend time at TWO different juvenile detention centers and a shelter for homeless youth which was awesome.
    • As an out-of-state student, the cost of attendance here really can't be beat. They told me that as long as I filled out the scholarship application every year, I was basically guaranteed a "scholarship" every year which would also waive the out-of-state tuition cost. I've only paid in-state tuition despite not being a TX resident, so I'm in MUCH less debt than all my friends in other states, including even those at most public/state programs. There's just one scholarship application that you resubmit every year, which enrolling consideration for all the school scholarships. I've received at least a few hundred dollars every year, but one year I guess I wrote some good essays so
  • San Antonio
    • I can't compare San Antonio to other cities in Texas since I haven't spent much time in any of them, but overall I'd say its a decent city. Despite being the 7th largest city in the country by population, it really does NOT feel that way at all since the city is spread out over a pretty big geographical area. Traffic is mid--usually not terrible except at rush hour, and nowhere near as bad as LA or NY or even Austin.
    • Lots of good restaurants in a variety of cuisines, especially Mexican and Mediterranean. My wife and I have eaten at over 100 different restaurants in the city and still have a "to-try" list a mile long, so you won't be hurting for options. I do wish there was better Korean food, but you can't win 'em all.
    • There are some nice places to hang out around town, notably The Pearl and the riverwalk. Some people don't like the riverwalk, but personally I think it's super charming, especially during the holidays when it's all twinkly and lit up. Admittedly everything on the riverwalk is overpriced.
    • I do wish we got more concerts in town, but Austin isn't too terrible of a drive to see most of my favorite bands when they come through. I enjoy the Majestic and Tobin theaters which bring pretty big travelign Broadway shows into town every few months.
    • The San Antonio airport is small and expensive, which is annoying if you like traveling or have family out of state.
    • The summers are almost unbearably hot (for me). It's sad because it limits the amount of outdoor stuff you can do in the summer.
Hope that's helpful, and sorry for the late response! I don't check SDN much these days anymore. Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.
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Thank you for the write up!
 
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Hartroc said:
Hope that's helpful, and sorry for the late response! I don't check SDN much these days anymore. Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.
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That's super helpful! I think I'd be very happy there. My only question is - and I know you may not be able to answer this -- how you would rank Long compared to other schools in Texas?

I was fortunate to pre-match (an offer of admission before our match process) to another school that I also know I'd be super happy at, but am very conflicted on how to rank Long vs. them (TTUHSC - Lubbock) and another school I interviewed at (UT Houston/McGovern). I know it's a pretty subjective thing, but idk if you have any insight or advice to offer. @kit10 @Hartroc or anyone else please feel free to weigh in.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience with us!
 
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IJUSTWANTOPARTYDOC said:
That's super helpful! I think I'd be very happy there. My only question is - and I know you may not be able to answer this -- how you would rank Long compared to other schools in Texas?

I was fortunate to pre-match (an offer of admission before our match process) to another school that I also know I'd be super happy at, but am very conflicted on how to rank Long vs. them (TTUHSC - Lubbock) and another school I interviewed at (UT Houston/McGovern). I know it's a pretty subjective thing, but idk if you have any insight or advice to offer. @kit10 @Hartroc or anyone else please feel free to weigh in.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience with us!
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If it helps, my 1 and 2 spot had to be determined between Long and Lubbock. I ended up picking Long!

I’m not sure about ranking nowadays, but Long is a solid school. What I think matters most is less so school rank and more where they’re putting their students at match. We have people marching all over the US to pretty much any specialty. There’s multiple match list threads in the medical student forum that you can review for years as far back as 2019 I think! One of my MS4 friends interviewed all across the East coast at big name programs. Long is known for preparing its students well.
 
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kit10 said:
If it helps, my 1 and 2 spot had to be determined between Long and Lubbock. I ended up picking Long!

I’m not sure about ranking nowadays, but Long is a solid school. What I think matters most is less so school rank and more where they’re putting their students at match. We have people marching all over the US to pretty much any specialty. There’s multiple match list threads in the medical student forum that you can review for years as far back as 2019 I think! One of my MS4 friends interviewed all across the East coast at big name programs. Long is known for preparing its students well.
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That’s good to hear!

Lubbock matches pretty decently too I’d say (haven’t done a deep dive, I just know they match several students to UTSW, Baylor, and the TMC in Houston, and well as to some good programs across the US every year).

I think I have all the info now, just have to make some tough decisions.
 
I might add one other comparison - definitely would appreciate any insight on Long vs UTMB. The comparison in grading systems has me leaning with UTMB. The culture at both is fantastic, but I honestly resonate with the one at Long more.

Those above differences stand out to me most but I do have a couple more nuanced differences. I'd love to hear a fresh perspective on this, especially if another applicant or if @kit10 @Hartroc had to make a decision between these two schools too
 
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Sandman23 said:
I might add one other comparison - definitely would appreciate any insight on Long vs UTMB. The comparison in grading systems has me leaning with UTMB. The culture at both is fantastic, but I honestly resonate with the one at Long more.

Those above differences stand out to me most but I do have a couple more nuanced differences. I'd love to hear a fresh perspective on this, especially if another applicant or if @kit10 @Hartroc had to make a decision between these two schools too
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Can't comment on that, I'm afraid. I was invited to interview at UTMB, but after I got my first (non-TX) acceptance, I cancelled the interview since I had zero desire to live in Galveston lol. I actually just cancelled a residency interview there for the same reason. I've only heard good things about the people there, though!
 
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Sandman23 said:
I might add one other comparison - definitely would appreciate any insight on Long vs UTMB. The comparison in grading systems has me leaning with UTMB. The culture at both is fantastic, but I honestly resonate with the one at Long more.

Those above differences stand out to me most but I do have a couple more nuanced differences. I'd love to hear a fresh perspective on this, especially if another applicant or if @kit10 @Hartroc had to make a decision between these two schools too
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Non-medstudent here. When it comes to P/F grading I think it's honestly not as big of a deal as people make it out to be.

I am definitely pro-P/F in that I think it might reduce some stress. But at the same time, with so many schools (including most of the top ones in Texas/the US) being P/F, how are residency program directors going to be able to compare a HP (B equivalent... I think) to a P in pre-clinicals between two students from different schools? I don't think it's possible. I'm also pretty sure PD's routinely rank pre-clinical grades pretty low on their 'decision-making-formula' but you can fact check this by looking at recent PD surveys and check out this thread for discussion on the same.

If you are the type of person who needs/wants to hear/see "pass" when you get your grade back, P/F is probably for you. If you have positive enough self-talk, I think getting a "honors/pass/etc" in addition to your grade won't be that impactful when you consider that it probably won't make much difference in the long run anyway (pun intended lol).

I also think it's important to note that few, if any, med students have experienced both systems for pre-clinical or for clincal grading, so when someone from a P/F school says its the best... what are they comparing it to? Undergrad? At my undergrad all of my classes were graded but many/most of my classmates and I were very helpful with sharing resources, explaining concepts, study tips, etc. so I don't think hierarchical pre-clinical grades in-and-of-themselves create or eliminate a competitive environment.

I think things like internal ranks (which also vary by the school, but most still have them, so pre-clinical grades still matter in that sense even if you recieve a P or F on your transcript), school prestige/reputation, but especially extra-curriculars (research mostly, but also probably AOA in addition to hobbies/passions) will be used to screen and help select students for residency spots.

That's at least my copium for leaning more towards Long (graded preclinical) vs. Texas Tech Lubbock (P/F), because otherwise I am almost entirely leaning toward Long (the in-house exams and inability to review exams are still seem lame imo, but maybe @Hartroc @kit10 or someone else can weigh in. I've only spoken to a MS1 at Long who, a few weeks ago, said they didn't love the grading/exam system).
 
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IJUSTWANTOPARTYDOC said:
Non-medstudent here. When it comes to P/F grading I think it's honestly not as big of a deal as people make it out to be.

I am definitely pro-P/F in that I think it might reduce some stress. But at the same time, with so many schools (including most of the top ones in Texas/the US) being P/F, how are residency program directors going to be able to compare a HP (B equivalent... I think) to a P in pre-clinicals between two students from different schools? I don't think it's possible (I'm also pretty sure PD's routinely rank pre-clinical grades pretty low on their 'decision-making-formula' but you can fact check this by looking at recent PD surveys and check out this thread for discussion on the same). If you are the type of person who needs/wants to hear/see "pass" when you get your grade back, P/F is probably for you. If you have positive enough self-talk, I think getting a "honors/pass/etc" in addition to your grade won't be that impactful when you consider that it probably won't make much difference in the long run anyway (pun intended lol).

I also think it's important to note that few, if any, med students have experienced both systems for pre-clinical or for clincal grading, so when someone from a P/F school says its the best... what are they comparing it to? Undergrad? At my undergrad all of my classes were graded but many/most of my classmates and I were very helpful with sharing resources, explaining concepts, study tips, etc. so I don't think hierarchical pre-clinical grades in-and-of-themselves create or eliminate a competitive environment.

I think things like internal ranks (which also vary by the school, but most still have them, so pre-clinical grades still matter in that sense even if you recieve a P or F on your transcript), school prestige/reputation, but especially extra-curriculars (research mostly, but also probably AOA in addition to hobbies/passions) will be used to screen and help select students for residency spots.

That's at least my copium for leaning more towards Long (graded preclinical) vs. Texas Tech Lubbock (P/F), because otherwise I am almost entirely leaning toward Long (the in-house exams and inability to review exams are still seem lame imo, but maybe @Hartroc @kit10 or someone else can weigh in. I've only spoken to a MS1 at Long who, a few weeks ago, said they didn't love the grading/exam system.
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I appreciate this. If only Long did NBME....man, that wouldn't make this decision that hard. @kit10 @Hartroc do y'all know if there's ever been any talk of moving in that direction, even partially? I'm sure it wouldn't be an immediate change if so, but just genuinely curious.
 
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Long's match list looks A LOT better than that of UTMB. Thelack of P/F might be worth it
 
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Sandman23 said:
I appreciate this. If only Long did NBME....man, that wouldn't make this decision that hard. @kit10 @Hartroc do y'all know if there's ever been any talk of moving in that direction, even partially? I'm sure it wouldn't be an immediate change if so, but just genuinely curious.
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Great question! I know the school is very proud of the hard work that they put into writing their exams. I haven’t had the opportunity to look or take a practice NBME exam, but I was told that they’re “about the same” by some upperclassmen (please correct me if I’m wrong!) Take of that as you will! I don’t imagine that they will suddenly swap to those exams by the time you step through the door. One thing that is important to note is that admin is very receptive to feedback and might introduce changes based on it. For example, my class gets Sketchy for free now as part of our class resources thanks to the feedback of my upperclassmen. They even changed around how an entire class was taught based off of feedback. I believe they’re also giving us First Aid books but they asked for sign ups a while ago and I haven’t heard about it since. It’s a busy time so it’s understandable. I’m sure with enough suggestions they might find some way to marry the idea of their own tests with NBME, be it as a practice test or something similar.
 
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sdfwr312 said:
Long's match list looks A LOT better than that of UTMB. Thelack of P/F might be worth it
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In what ways is the match list lookin better? Taking a look at them, I found roughly similar #s of ppl in competitive specialties like derm & plastics. In terms of the sites they actually matched at, they seem pretty comparable. Trends in where they matched + what specialty are the two factors that I've generally looked at for match lists so would appreciate any enlightenment on other factors to look into
 
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Sandman23 said:
In what ways is the match list lookin better? Taking a look at them, I found roughly similar #s of ppl in competitive specialties like derm & plastics. In terms of the sites they actually matched at, they seem pretty comparable. Trends in where they matched + what specialty are the two factors that I've generally looked at for match lists so would appreciate any enlightenment on other factors to look into
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I have also been going back and forth learning about Long and UTMB for my own ranking, and I got a similar perception of the matches between the two.

Anecdotally, I work a “prestigious” academic institution, and work closely with some docs there who went to UTMB. Definitely don’t think going to UTMB would hinder anyone in any way, great school for sure.

Also, it’s the Long thread so I’m sure people may favor it slightly more here, haha.
 
Bonehead11 said:
I have also been going back and forth learning about Long and UTMB for my own ranking, and I got a similar perception of the matches between the two.

Anecdotally, I work a “prestigious” academic institution, and work closely with some docs there who went to UTMB. Definitely don’t think going to UTMB would hinder anyone in any way, great school for sure.

Also, it’s the Long thread so I’m sure people may favor it slightly more here, haha.
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Ahhh that selection bias. If you don't mind me asking, which one will you rank higher and what's your reasoning behind it?
 
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Sandman23 said:
Ahhh that selection bias. If you don't mind me asking, which one will you rank higher and what's your reasoning behind it?
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I wish I had a choice made already, i’ll PM you when i figure it out
 
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Sandman23 said:
In what ways is the match list lookin better? Taking a look at them, I found roughly similar #s of ppl in competitive specialties like derm & plastics. In terms of the sites they actually matched at, they seem pretty comparable. Trends in where they matched + what specialty are the two factors that I've generally looked at for match lists so would appreciate any enlightenment on other factors to look into
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Looks like Long students match at more prestigious residencies or residencies in more competitive locations than UTMB students.
 
sdfwr312 said:
Looks like Long students match at more prestigious residencies or residencies in more competitive locations than UTMB students.
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What are some specific examples that illustrate this? I'm seeing this in some regards but not others. For example, there's a relatively even number of matches at places like Yale, Mayo, Baylor COM. But, I am seeing that there's a slightly greater # of competitive matches to residencies like ophthalmology (others like derm + plastics are similar tho). So, honestly, not sure if this is just a factor of ppl at Long being more inclined to apply to competitive specialties, not the edge that the school gives them

Also, thoughts on why this is? Is it the name that Long carries or the better relative quality of their clinical rotations?
 
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Anyone have any insight about how the new hospital will help Long students? Will more research opportunities become prevalent immediately or is something that will take a couple years to get off the ground? Will it help Long’s ranking, prestige, etc. by the time we are applying to residency in any way?
 
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withdrew my prematch! hope it goes to one of you guys! ultimately came down to wanting to be close to my family in houston which mcgovern will allow me to do
 
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I interviewed back in December. I logged into the portal today because I am considering sending a letter of interest or intent. While in the portal, I realized I never sent a thank you letter after my interviews. Would it be dumb to send one now?
 
Are there gonna be any more prematches for people who interviewed in January
 
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GETBUCKETZ said:
I interviewed back in December. I logged into the portal today because I am considering sending a letter of interest or intent. While in the portal, I realized I never sent a thank you letter after my interviews. Would it be dumb to send one now?
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I think TY letters coulda been sent over email too, not just the portal
 
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GETBUCKETZ said:
I interviewed back in December. I logged into the portal today because I am considering sending a letter of interest or intent. While in the portal, I realized I never sent a thank you letter after my interviews. Would it be dumb to send one now?
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I doubt it hurts much or helps much at this point, but personally, I doubt it ever makes much of an impact at all - regardless of when one sends it.

If it helps, 2/3 pre-matches I've received came from schools that I did not send a post interview thank you note to (1/3 I did).
 
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GETBUCKETZ said:
I interviewed back in December. I logged into the portal today because I am considering sending a letter of interest or intent. While in the portal, I realized I never sent a thank you letter after my interviews. Would it be dumb to send one now?
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There is no point in sending it now. Thank you letters are more of a formality and it does not really help you. However, if they were to help you it would be within the 24 hours after your interview. I would not worry about it.
 
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love_2_run said:
There is no point in sending it now. Thank you letters are more of a formality and it does not really help you. However, if they were to help you it would be within the 24 hours after your interview. I would not worry about it.
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this-joker.gif
 
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Not sure if I'm mixing up schools but does Long limit acting internships to just the specialties in core rotations (internal med, surgery, peds, FM, etc)?
 
Pre-II R. Shoutout to Long for not requiring secondary essays!
 
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