Alabama Schools Thread Part 2!!

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Aldock59 said:
Also know of a Mobile girl who just got off USA's wait list yesterday.
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So I think that's a total of 7 that I am aware of...Do we know about how many people have withdrawn from the waitlist?
 
evoviiigsr said:
So I think that's a total of 7 that I am aware of...Do we know about how many people have withdrawn from the waitlist?
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i know of a Mobile guy who got into UAB a few weeks ago and has decided to go there. I don't know if he has withdrawn from USA.
 
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Hey guys, first post. Just got in off the wait list on Wednesday. Letter in the mail made in official yesterday afternoon. I've lived hitting "refresh" on this thread every twenty minutes while at work for the past few months, seeing if the list was moving and whatnot... and occasionally getting tips on good beer. Anyway, I know how interested I was on what was happening, and I'm sure there's more people like me out there slowly dying on the inside from lack of knowing, so I signed up to help fill in a little blank for ya'll. Thanks for keeping me on the edge of sanity and I hope to get to know all you at at USACOM in August. Be easy.
 
Congratulations to everyone who got off the alternate lists for both schools! I'm one of those people holding the process up at South, I suppose. I recently found out that I got that scholarship that pays half of the tuition at USA. No scholarships for UAB.

My initial inclination was to attend UAB because I felt that it might help me to get into a better residency program and because of it's more numerous research opportunities. My question is whether the former of these reasons in valid at all. In other words, could you guys give me your opinions on this? Is there any reason to suspect that going to UAB would help me to get the residency of my choice? Thanks for your feedback.
 
Mobile Dawg said:
Hey guys, first post. Just got in off the wait list on Wednesday. Letter in the mail made in official yesterday afternoon. I've lived hitting "refresh" on this thread every twenty minutes while at work for the past few months, seeing if the list was moving and whatnot... and occasionally getting tips on good beer. Anyway, I know how interested I was on what was happening, and I'm sure there's more people like me out there slowly dying on the inside from lack of knowing, so I signed up to help fill in a little blank for ya'll. Thanks for keeping me on the edge of sanity and I hope to get to know all you at at USACOM in August. Be easy.
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Welcome and Congratulations!

I still need a roommate at USA if anyone's interested. I'm thinking apartment but I'm starting to consider renting or buying a house.
 
budgerigar767 said:
Congratulations to everyone who got off the alternate lists for both schools! I'm one of those people holding the process up at South, I suppose. I recently found out that I got that scholarship that pays half of the tuition at USA. No scholarships for UAB.

My initial inclination was to attend UAB because I felt that it might help me to get into a better residency program and because of it's more numerous research opportunities. My question is whether the former of these reasons in valid at all. In other words, could you guys give me your opinions on this? Is there any reason to suspect that going to UAB would help me to get the residency of my choice? Thanks for your feedback.
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UAB is a top 40 NIH school and offers a lot more research opportunity than USA does. You should ask yourself whether you think that research is important to you.

If you google "charting outcomes" with something like AAMC you should be able to find the 2007 NRMP data which breaks everything down by specialty and should give you an idea of what certain specialties require as far as research, AOA, board scores, etc.

If you want to do anything that is "competitive" UAB may be a better fit because of the wide range of opportunities but if you are looking for a primary care specialty or you just want to be an internist or something then USA would be more than a good choice.

If you have trouble finding that PDF let me know and I will find the link for you.
 
VanBrown said:
UAB is a top 40 NIH school and offers a lot more research opportunity than USA does. You should ask yourself whether you think that research is important to you.

If you google "charting outcomes" with something like AAMC you should be able to find the 2007 NRMP data which breaks everything down by specialty and should give you an idea of what certain specialties require as far as research, AOA, board scores, etc.

If you want to do anything that is "competitive" UAB may be a better fit because of the wide range of opportunities but if you are looking for a primary care specialty or you just want to be an internist or something then USA would be more than a good choice.

If you have trouble finding that PDF let me know and I will find the link for you.
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When it comes to research, UAB is ahead of USA; however, USA has that new cancer center and should see increased research efforts in the coming years. UAB will likely remain the more research-focused institution of the two.

When it comes to the USMLE's, they are about even and I believe USA did better than UAB for 2009.

When it comes to "competitive residencies," I don't think it really matters--you need to be towards the top of your class at both UAB and USA to get a "tough" residency. From what I've been told, the top programs aren't going to look at USA as far inferior to UAB as long as you do well on your USMLE's and finish high in your class. Considering USA is slightly easier to get into, one should find it easier to finish towards the top of the class at USA.

Again, heads of residency programs and other physicians have always told me that where you go to med school means very little as long as you do well.

N.B., I don't have a choice of where I go because USA flat out rejected me.
 
Yeah I wasn't implying that USA is a bad school or anything but that UAB offers a lot more research opportunities which are pretty important for landing the top residencies.

USA's step1 scores are probably higher than UABs this year which is likely attributed to the fact that this year's class is the 1st class of the new UAB curriculum. However, a lot of people at UAB did very well this year... I suspect that the lower average is due to more people failing than usual. For everyone that makes a 250+ they are negated by someone with a 170.

In the end, it takes a really impressive and well rounded application to get a top residency spot but you can get that application at any school... hell there are DO graduates that go to top residency programs so it is really how much you want it.
 
Been a lurker quite some time...finally decided to register and post. I am looking forward to meeting you all soon! See you all in bham july 27th!

Oh and I got bham assignment for clinicals. Who else is with me?
 
mednsports said:
Been a lurker quite some time...finally decided to register and post. I am looking fo
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rward to meeting you all soon! See you all in bham july 27th!

Oh and I got bham assignment for clinicals. Who else is with me?
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congrats to y'all. One of my closest friends is going there.
 
mednsports said:
Been a lurker quite some time...finally decided to register and post. I am looking forward to meeting you all soon! See you all in bham july 27th!

Oh and I got bham assignment for clinicals. Who else is with me?
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I'm with you! Although I probably wont be with you in clinicals because Im MD/MPH. Are you guys considering the Pre- Matriculation Program. This is UASOM first year doing one.
 
erdavis said:
I'm with you! Although I probably wont be with you in clinicals because Im MD/MPH. Are you guys considering the Pre- Matriculation Program. This is UASOM first year doing one.
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Awesome! I thought about doing the pre-matriculation program but then realized that this is my last month before med school starts so I'm just going to try and enjoy it! Plus all of the older med students said don't do it. Even though they didn't really have the option. U know? I think it would be valuable but I'm just gonna enjoy the little time I have left.
 
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VanBrown said:
Yeah I wasn't implying that USA is a bad school or anything but that UAB offers a lot more research opportunities which are pretty important for landing the top residencies.

USA's step1 scores are probably higher than UABs this year which is likely attributed to the fact that this year's class is the 1st class of the new UAB curriculum. However, a lot of people at UAB did very well this year... I suspect that the lower average is due to more people failing than usual. For everyone that makes a 250+ they are negated by someone with a 170.

In the end, it takes a really impressive and well rounded application to get a top residency spot but you can get that application at any school... hell there are DO graduates that go to top residency programs so it is really how much you want it.
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Yeah, I'm just trying to point out that budgerigar would have a better chance of finishing in the top of the class at USA than at UAB, and UAB provides no particular advantage on the boards.

So, all things being equal there is very little difference, and I would suggest going to USA if USA is going to be cheaper.
 
crimsonred said:
Yeah, I'm just trying to point out that budgerigar would have a better chance of finishing in the top of the class at USA than at UAB.
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That statement is unwarranted and pure speculation. And probably insulting to some.
 
evoviiigsr said:
That statement is unwarranted and pure speculation. And probably insulting to some.
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Well USA completely rejected me--so it's obviously not "easy" to get into; however, USA does not have (from what I've been told) nearly the cut-throat atmosphere of UAB--although UAB is not cut-throat at all when compared to a place like Hopkins.

USA is--generally speaking--easier to get into than UAB. So if one were to be accepted to both, then one might predict that said person would do better than those who were accepted to only USA.

Obviously that does not mean that budgerigar would definitely do better, but he/she may have a better shot. I'm not trying to insult you, and I don't believe that I am insulting you or anyone else. In fact, I would go to USA if they had not rejected me.
 
budgerigar767 said:
Congratulations to everyone who got off the alternate lists for both schools! I'm one of those people holding the process up at South, I suppose. I recently found out that I got that scholarship that pays half of the tuition at USA. No scholarships for UAB.

My initial inclination was to attend UAB because I felt that it might help me to get into a better residency program and because of it's more numerous research opportunities. My question is whether the former of these reasons in valid at all. In other words, could you guys give me your opinions on this? Is there any reason to suspect that going to UAB would help me to get the residency of my choice? Thanks for your feedback.
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I've been told by doctors who attended UAB that its reputation of superiority to South is 99% speculation and word-of-mouth hype. It has been known in the past as a better research facility because it gets ALOT more state funding (as it should with a larger class size and a medical campus that takes up 30 blocks of downtown birmingham). This said, UAB does have some of the best doctors in the country working in its hospitals. You cant beat that. When people get really sick they want to go to a UAB hospital. This isn't necessarily the same with South except for the level 1 trauma center, which is awesome. That new cancer research center was actually built in cooperation with Mobile Infirmary (not a south alabama hospital). Budgerigar I wouldn't worry about money as much right now... it sounds like you are a smart person and will be more than capable of paying back student loans in the future. Unless you have something holding you to mobile and south, I would go to UAB. Just my opinion though...
 
crimsonred said:
USA is--generally speaking--easier to get into than UAB.
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I don't intend to weigh in on this discussion, chiefly because it doesn't really matter. If you're fortunate enough to have a choice--go to the one you liked better.

I'm curious, though. On what grounds are you basing your statement about USA being easier to get into than UAB? The AAMC MSAR only publishes information on the ratio of applicants to matriculants, not applicants to acceptances. UAB does publish its admissions figures on its website, indicating that for 2008 it had an acceptance rate of 12.3%. USA doesn't publish its figures, or maybe I just couldn't find them.

Regardless, I would rather eat a **** sandwich than apply to either of them again. UAB accepted me, but tried unsuccessfully/irritatingly to charge me out-of-state tuition. USA fed me some BBQ chicken with a side of BS at the interview, then mailed me a postcard with "waitlisted" written on it. That's the last I heard from those folks.

In other news, today the lower troposphere in the Birmingham area is composed of poison gas!
 
LumberJack said:
I don't intend to weigh in on this discussion, chiefly because it doesn't really matter. If you're fortunate enough to have a choice--go to the one you liked better.

I'm curious, though. On what grounds are you basing your statement about USA being easier to get into than UAB? The AAMC MSAR only publishes information on the ratio of applicants to matriculants, not applicants to acceptances. UAB does publish its admissions figures on its website, indicating that for 2008 it had an acceptance rate of 12.3%. USA doesn't publish its figures, or maybe I just couldn't find them.

Regardless, I would rather eat a **** sandwich than apply to either of them again. UAB accepted me, but tried unsuccessfully/irritatingly to charge me out-of-state tuition. USA fed me some BBQ chicken with a side of BS at the interview, then mailed me a postcard with "waitlisted" written on it. That's the last I heard from those folks.

In other news, today the lower troposphere in the Birmingham area is composed of poison gas!
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Want my opinion? Probably not.... but here it is: I would choose USA. The way I would look at it is UAB *may* have a better reputation nationally but that doesn't do anything for you if you are planning on staying in Alabama. On the other hand, you got a scholarship at south, which not only will save you money but will also look great on a residency application. South typically has better step 1 scores, especially this year. You have just as much of an opportunity to do research there. Your clinical years will be more hands on and you will be given more responsibility and opportunities to participate in procedures than you would at UAB.

The biggest down side to south is that it is in Mobile.
 
docbama said:
Want my opinion? Probably not.... but here it is: I would choose USA. The way I would look at it is UAB *may* have a better reputation nationally but that doesn't do anything for you if you are planning on staying in Alabama. On the other hand, you got a scholarship at south, which not only will save you money but will also look great on a residency application. South typically has better step 1 scores, especially this year. You have just as much of an opportunity to do research there. Your clinical years will be more hands on and you will be given more responsibility and opportunities to participate in procedures than you would at UAB.

The biggest down side to south is that it is in Mobile.
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Good points. I guess I'll weigh in now:

IF I had been accepted, and
IF I had a scholarship, and
IF I didn't already live in Birmingham a five minute walk from UAB, and
IF UAB had succeeded in slapping me with an extra 32K a year;

THEN I would have gone to South Alabama.
 
If I were lucky enough to be in this position, I would abandon all forms of rationalizing and just go where my heart tells me to go. Wouldn't want to look back and regret my decision years from now when the reasons to pick one school over another seem trivial.
 
docbama said:
Want my opinion? Probably not.... but here it is: I would choose USA. The way I would look at it is UAB *may* have a better reputation nationally but that doesn't do anything for you if you are planning on staying in Alabama. On the other hand, you got a scholarship at south, which not only will save you money but will also look great on a residency application. South typically has better step 1 scores, especially this year. You have just as much of an opportunity to do research there. Your clinical years will be more hands on and you will be given more responsibility and opportunities to participate in procedures than you would at UAB.

The biggest down side to south is that it is in Mobile.
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You obviously don't know much about living on the gulf coast... its better than anywhere else in the state by far.
Oh and I worked at South last year... the majority of hands-on is for residency.
 
waitlisted123 said:
You obviously don't know much about living on the gulf coast... its better than anywhere else in the state by far.
Oh and I worked at South last year... the majority of hands-on is for residency.
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I agree with both points. I have never lived on the gulf coast, it may be lovely. But I must say I do like living in Birmingham. And yes, residents at USA probably do have more hands on time than med students at USA (would be pretty strange if they didn't, don't you think?). But I was comparing hands on time between med students at USA and med students at UAB. USA wins that one hands down.
 
LumberJack said:
The way I see it, the pre-matriculation program is just another 3 weeks of my life I'd never get back. Thanks, but no thanks.
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I agree. And the courses look pretty intense as well! it's from 8am - 4 or 5pm everyday for 3 whole weeks!!!! I think I will pass~
 
angelhair said:
I agree. And the courses look pretty intense as well! it's from 8am - 4 or 5pm everyday for 3 whole weeks!!!! I think I will pass~
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And, it's five hundred dollars! I would consider it a little more if it weren't for the fact I'll be giving them a cool 20 G's for tuition and fees in a month.
 
evoviiigsr said:
If I were lucky enough to be in this position, I would abandon all forms of rationalizing and just go where my heart tells me to go. Wouldn't want to look back and regret my decision years from now when the reasons to pick one school over another seem trivial.
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I would get two chimps and shave either USA or UAB into their fur then I would get them jacked up on amphetamines. I would then give each oh them a dagger and have them fight to the death in the cargo hold of an old merchant ship. I would attend the school represented by the victorious chimp.
 
I really appreciate everyone's feedback on this! In the end, I have decided on UAB. I think that's where I'll be happiest. As far as the USMLE is concerned, I believe that UAB will prepare we well enough for the test; when it comes down to it, it is really going necessitate individual studying, regardless of the school that I attended.

Who am I kidding? What really swayed my decision was the primate battle royale. I could only find a marmoset and macuaque, and the UAB macaque clearly won.
 
I was planning on going bham to visit my gf and going to the J Clyde tonight...would that be awkward? Given that I have no acceptances and hence no med school buddies. I'll see everyone else will be happy but I'll be sad on the inside. I'm just afraid I'll just get drunk and the tears will flood the bar, especially with those high % beers we now can enjoy. Please advise.
 
evoviiigsr said:
I was planning on going bham to visit my gf and going to the J Clyde tonight...would that be awkward? Given that I have no acceptances and hence no med school buddies. I'll see everyone else will be happy but I'll be sad on the inside. I'm just afraid I'll just get drunk and the tears will flood the bar, especially with those high % beers we now can enjoy. Please advise.
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Well maybe you will get budriger's USA spot now that he finally made a decision, a month and 15 days after May 15th. I'm going to South, but I live in Birmingham right now. Maybe, I should stop by J Clyde and challenge you guys to a drinking contest to finally truly decide which school is better.
 
KennyFNPowers said:
Well maybe you will get budriger's USA spot now that he finally made a decision, a month and 15 days after May 15th. I'm going to South, but I live in Birmingham right now. Maybe, I should stop by J Clyde and challenge you guys to a drinking contest to finally truly decide which school is better.
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It would be a great idea if you stopped by for a drinking contest...I'm not in bham yet so u might actually have a chance of winning haha jk. Go team uasom! Ha
 
KennyFNPowers said:
Well maybe you will get budriger's USA spot now that he finally made a decision, a month and 15 days after May 15th. I'm going to South, but I live in Birmingham right now. Maybe, I should stop by J Clyde and challenge you guys to a drinking contest to finally truly decide which school is better.
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Sorry I didn't see this before heading out last night...could have been interesting. The power of thirst was certainly with us. I was ordering pints of IPA and stout by the pair just to keep my mouth from getting dry, and Van Brown drank the entire cask of Mumbai Rye pretty much by himself.
 
LumberJack said:
Sorry I didn't see this before heading out last night...could have been interesting. The power of thirst was certainly with us. I was ordering pints of IPA and stout by the pair just to keep my mouth from getting dry, and Van Brown drank the entire cask of Mumbai Rye pretty much by himself.
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He speaks the truth. It was a good night.. a bit hot and muggy but the beer was delicious.

Next Thursday is round 3.
 
For those on the USA waitlist who have not been accepted yet, are you waiting till it gets closer to August before submitting your AMCAS or are you waiting and hoping for the best?
 
If I were you I would submit my AMCAS just for one school, then wait to add the other schools later. That way your application won't be way behind if you don't get in this year.
 
evoviiigsr said:
For those on the USA waitlist who have not been accepted yet, are you waiting till it gets closer to August before submitting your AMCAS or are you waiting and hoping for the best?
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Well I just got a call from Mark Scott and ill be attending USA this fall! So so pumped! Guess I should change my username? Haha... Good luck to everyone still waiting I wish you the best! The road is long and stressful but its worth it when you get the call!
 
waitlisted123 said:
Well I just got a call from Mark Scott and ill be attending USA this fall! So so pumped! Guess I should change my username? Haha... Good luck to everyone still waiting I wish you the best! The road is long and stressful but its worth it when you get the call!
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Congratulations! See you there!
 
waitlisted123 said:
Well I just got a call from Mark Scott and ill be attending USA this fall! So so pumped! Guess I should change my username? Haha... Good luck to everyone still waiting I wish you the best! The road is long and stressful but its worth it when you get the call!
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Congratulations! I guess I'll see you down in Mobile in little less than a month!
 
Anyone else applying to bama schools for 2010? UAB is my first choice, but i'll apply to USA as well.
 
anybody know how many people have been accepted from the lower third of the alternate list at uab so far?
 
svfd said:
anybody know how many people have been accepted from the lower third of the alternate list at uab so far?
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Not enough.

I know of about 4 or 5 that have gotten in off the lower third.
 
Does anyone else hate Alabama football, or is it just me?
 
Anyone get any secondaries and the prompts for the secondaries for the bama schools?
 
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