Alabama Schools Thread

[BooMed]

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I've actually been asked when I would retake the MCAT since I didn't ace it. 😱 )

Whoa, by who?! 😱

I've been amazed at how comfortable perfect strangers have been asking me my score. And it's interesting how different people think that different scores are really good. One guy at work was telling me about people he knew who were applying and how one of them had and amazing score--a 28. So I guess it's all relative. Nice to get an opinion outside the SDN boards though!

What bothered me most about the woman was that she acted like her son should have gotten into med school just because her husband was such a "prominent doctor here." I think it's kind of reassuring that he didn't. 😎

 

[QofQuimica]

Whoa, by who?! 😱

An acquaintance. 🙄 I told him heck no, I'd never take that thing again so long as I shall live. 😛

 

[MattD]

P.S. What were the students like who gave the tours? Did they seem pretty happy/relaxed/stressed/etc.?

After talking with that kid's mom for 45 minutes I was not shocked at all that he was rejected. I'm going to make it one of my life goals to never become a "name dropper" 😎 It just seems so rude somehow.

There were 20 people there, I think, all but 2 or 3 of them EDP. Everybody seemed pretty cool, none seemed like social misfits or anything, so I hope to see all of them on campus next fall LOL. Then again, I know nothing about their apps. The students giving the tours seemed pretty happy, busy of course, they were both brand new 3rd years, but they had good attitudes and seemed pretty chill.

Nope, not a McT grad, I was cheering on Georgia Tech for the whippin' they put on Auburn that weekend 🙂 With UA winning, AU and Texas A&M losing, and Tennessee being embarrassed by a near-win by UAB, that was a great weekend for the Crimson Nation! Now, on to Florida!!

 

[BooMed]

An acquaintance. 🙄 I told him heck no, I'd never take that thing again so long as I shall live. 😛

Ditto! 😛

Thanks for all of the info. Matt! I'm so glad that there are other Alabamians online.

 

[ybbil919]

Just thought I'd let you know that UAB updates their website and said that the first interview day for regular admission is Oct. 27

 

[Doctor&Geek]

Good luck, all. Happy to answer any questions - PM me.

 

[ReblRose]

Hi,

Just wanted to say good luck to you all. I work at UAB, and have been seriously considering med school.


Again, good luck!!!!!!!!!! And to Matt CONGRATS!

 

[QofQuimica]

Anyone else not been able to submit their UAB secondary? I can log in and complete it, but I can't submit it. I have been trying for a couple of days, but I keep getting an error message that the page can't be found (i.e., it's a server problem). I called their office, but they weren't sure what the problem was either, and they asked me to send an email so that they have a record in case other people are having the problem too. I'm just wondering if it's a problem on my end or theirs. 😕

 

[QofQuimica]

Hi,

Just wanted to say good luck to you all. I work at UAB, and have been seriously considering med school.

ReblRose,

I replied to you in the nontrad forum. UAB is a great school, and if you really want to be a physician, I hope you'll go for it.

On a completely different note, I finally did get my secondary submitted. It turns out that you can't use symbols in the boxes for the test scores, and I was trying to do that. 🙄 😳

 

[jammin06]

ReblRose,

I replied to you in the nontrad forum. UAB is a great school, and if you really want to be a physician, I hope you'll go for it.

On a completely different note, I finally did get my secondary submitted. It turns out that you can't use symbols in the boxes for the test scores, and I was trying to do that. 🙄 😳

congrats on getting the secondary submitted. What'd you think of the "huge" amount of space that you got for the essays? I hate having to condense things down to 50 words.

 

[QofQuimica]

congrats on getting the secondary submitted. What'd you think of the "huge" amount of space that you got for the essays? I hate having to condense things down to 50 words.

Thanks, it's kind of funny that I managed to crash my own app, but the tech person and I muddled through. I think you're right that sometimes the shorter essays are harder to write than the longer ones are. What I usually do is write an essay without worrying about the length. Without fail, it's always too long, and I have to cut back and cut back until I can get it to fit. 😛

 

[BooMed]

I had a really hard time cutting down the research question and the "where do you see yourself in 10 years" one. Realizing that the spaces counted just killed me.

Good job Q! 🙂

Is everyone else submitted then?

 

[penguinophile]

I had a really hard time cutting down the research question and the "where do you see yourself in 10 years" one. Realizing that the spaces counted just killed me.

Good job Q! 🙂

Is everyone else submitted then?

I'm still waiting on their "separate email" with the secondary link😕 . I'm applying MSTP...does that make a difference? If not, would someone kindly post or PM me the link?

 

[QofQuimica]

I'm still waiting on their "separate email" with the secondary link😕 . I'm applying MSTP...does that make a difference? If not, would someone kindly post or PM me the link?

I checked mine, and there isn't any option to apply for MSTP, so I think it's MD only. There must be a separate MSTP app. Anyway, you shouldn't fill out the secondary until they invite you to do it; it explicitly says not to fill it out without the invite.

 

[Doctor&Geek]

I'm still waiting on their "separate email" with the secondary link😕 . I'm applying MSTP...does that make a difference? If not, would someone kindly post or PM me the link?

Hi,

I do know that applications have been received, but as to whether or not the medical school admissions office has acted on the recommendations of the MSTP and sent out secondary applications, I'm not sure.

From what I remember from my application year, a short summary of why you want to apply to the MSTP and a short summary of your research, along with I think 1 to 2 letters of recommendation for research are all that is required. Shouldn't be too difficult to modify answers to secondary application prompts from other institutions.

If you're invited for interview (and based on your record, you probably will), try to have an idea of who you want to talk to and the kind of research you may be interested in. I can definitely help you out with that.

PM me if you have any other questions.

Yours -

 

[BooMed]

Paikman,

I gather that you are an MSTP? (Or however you would say that). Do you want to practice, do research or both?

-boo

 

[Doctor&Geek]

Paikman,

I gather that you are an MSTP? (Or however you would say that). Do you want to practice, do research or both?

-boo

The NIH would like you to do 80% research (translational best, clinical or basic OK) and 20% practice. In many specialties 80/20 and 75/25 is possible - others less so - this is also institution dependent when you apply for your first faculty position.

I think most MSTPs, including myself, will try to do this, but eventually a significant portion will drop one for the other.

 

[jammin06]

does anyone know whether South ALabama notifies people regarding decisions (aceeptance/rejection/waitlist) on a rolling basis or do they wait until March?
i've heard conflicting stories from different people.

 

[MattD]

JPaikman,

I was looking through the summer research book while I was at my interview, but I didn't see what I was looking for, so maybe you know something about it. I'd like to get involved in some orthopedics oriented research at some point 1st/2nd year. Do you know of anyone in that field who'd be open to working with a student that I could get in touch with?

What's your area of study, BTW?

 

[Doctor&Geek]

JPaikman,

I was looking through the summer research book while I was at my interview, but I didn't see what I was looking for, so maybe you know something about it. I'd like to get involved in some orthopedics oriented research at some point 1st/2nd year. Do you know of anyone in that field who'd be open to working with a student that I could get in touch with?

What's your area of study, BTW?

One of my friends did some orthopaedic surgery research with someone in the department between his 1st and 2nd year. From what I've heard, it was very useful - he presented at a meeting which netted him a lot of points for residency. I'll talk to him and get back with you.

My research interest is in the molecular biology of cancer.

 

[MattD]

One of my friends did some orthopaedic surgery research with someone in the department between his 1st and 2nd year. From what I've heard, it was very useful - he presented at a meeting which netted him a lot of points for residency. I'll talk to him and get back with you.

My research interest is in the molecular biology of cancer.

That's awesome, I'd appreciate that alot! So what aspects of cancer are you looking into? If you don't wanna get into it that's cool, I just like to hear about what ppl are doing 🙂

 

[Doctor&Geek]

That's awesome, I'd appreciate that alot! So what aspects of cancer are you looking into? If you don't wanna get into it that's cool, I just like to hear about what ppl are doing 🙂

We basically study the regulation of an oncogene which is dysregulated in many, if not all cancers. One of the hallmarks of cancer where the controls for normal cell division and cell death are broken - either the brakes don't work, or the accelerator is pushed all the way down. We study how one of the "accelerators" gets broken by mutations in genes which repress it or by excessive growth signals from outside the cell.

 

[BooMed]

Do you want to stay at UAB after you graduate or do a residency (or some kind of science thing?) somewhere else?

UAB is such a great research hospital. 😍

 

[Doctor&Geek]

I intend on going to the best place that will support my research interests, period.

 

[aumed22]

Anyone else get an interview invite at UAB?

 

[Doctor&Geek]

JPaikman,

I was looking through the summer research book while I was at my interview, but I didn't see what I was looking for, so maybe you know something about it. I'd like to get involved in some orthopedics oriented research at some point 1st/2nd year. Do you know of anyone in that field who'd be open to working with a student that I could get in touch with?

What's your area of study, BTW?

Look up Stannard and Volgas.

 

[BooMed]

Anyone else get an interview invite at UAB?

Did you?

Animal House was filmed in my hometown.

 

[hsvpan]

Yeah I got one on Friday, interviewing late October

 

[BooMed]

Sigh... is everyone on SDN going to get an interview before I do? 🙁

The waiting part of this process is the worst.

 

[hsvpan]

Sigh... is everyone on SDN going to get an interview before I do? 🙁

The waiting part of this process is the worst.

Are you in-state? I'm pretty sure they are only granting interviews right now to in-state kids.

 

[QofQuimica]

Are you in-state? I'm pretty sure they are only granting interviews right now to in-state kids.

Yeah, they just sent secondaries to out-of-staters. But Boomed is in-state. Don't worry, Boomed, it will come. But I know that the waiting sucks. 🙁

 

[BooMed]

I just read the Alabama thread from last year, and it was nice to see that everyone was going crazy last year too! It looks like they even accept a lot of people off the waitlist.

But why am I even thinking about being waitlisted? It's only October! 😛

This is honestly one of the most stressful things I have ever gone through-not that it's that bad at any one time, but day after day of waiting...

Like everyone here, I have a lot invested in this dream. Unlike most SDNers though, I didn't apply to 20+ schools, just one... and I really want to go there. 😳

Good luck everyone.

 

[QofQuimica]

I just read the Alabama thread from last year, and it was nice to see that everyone was going crazy last year too! It looks like they even accept a lot of people off the waitlist.

But why am I even thinking about being waitlisted? It's only October! 😛

This is honestly one of the most stressful things I have ever gone through-not that it's that bad at any one time, but day after day of waiting...

Like everyone here, I have a lot invested in this dream. Unlike most SDNers though, I didn't apply to 20+ schools, just one... and I really want to go there. 😳

Good luck everyone.

I didn't realize that UAB was the only school where you applied. Out of curiosity, why didn't you apply ED? And why not at least add South AL?

 

[BooMed]

I had an 8 in one section of the MCAT, or I would have done ED.

Unfortunately, my fiance and I had to take a risk so that we would both be able to (hopefully) pursue our dreams. He was accepted at Cumberland School of Law and started this year. I was going to apply other places if he didn't get in there, but he did, so here we are. Also, his parents bribed us to stay in the South by buying us a house in B'Ham, and we just couldn't turn that down.

I'm a non-trad student and I really didn't realize that people apply to so many schools, to be honest. If I don't get in this year I will re-evaluate my options and strengthen by app for 2007, but I am pretty confident about my chances as it is. Although my MCAT score=their average, I have a strong GPA, two majors, graduated with honors, made great post-bac grades, speak fluent spanish, have a research pub in JAMA, and I currently work at the UAB hospital. I never felt all that nervous until I happend upon SDN, actually. 🙄

Anyway, sorry to go on about my whole life story, but if you're curious or think that I'm nuts, there's some background info. for you. 🙂 I personally feel that the whole thing is a little nutty, but maybe it will work out for me.

 

[BooMed]

P.S. I know I just need to be patient, but it's hard to remember that on here, when everything seems to be happening so fast for people. Then when I meet people in the real world who are applying right now, they tell me they haven't even filled out their secondaries yet. 😛 Hmmm...

 

[QofQuimica]

P.S. I know I just need to be patient, but it's hard to remember that on here, when everything seems to be happening so fast for people. Then when I meet people in the real world who are applying right now, they tell me they haven't even filled out their secondaries yet. 😛 Hmmm...

Yeah, SDN is like that. It's a microcosm of the world, but a pretty selective one. If the people you know are Aug. MCATers, they probably won't have even done their AMCAS yet.

Hugs to you, and I don't think you're nuts. You might want to make sure you keep updating the school though so that they'll know how interested you are in going there. And don't worry: some schools are just slower than others to get going with this process. My state schools (FL) started interviewing a lot sooner than UAB did.

P.S. I don't know if we should let you in the non-trad club. You're only 24, if I recall correctly, which means that you're still a kid. 😉

 

[BooMed]

lol, actually right now I'm only 23. But I didn't decide I wanted to go to med school until my last semester of college! I was going to be a sociologist and live in NYC. 😛 How I would have paid to live there? Well... maybe waitressing. Then I met my fiance/took physiology and my life was changed forever. 😍

Sometimes I still look around B'ham in a daze thinking, how did I get here? I feel like I moved away from Oregon a lifetime ago.

Q-if I recall you are originally from here, would you rather go to an Alabama school than a Florida school? I personally perfer the state of Alabama to Florida, but I know they have some great schools there as well.

One of the Deans of Admissions helped me find my job (which I absolutely love), so I periodically send him little thank notes because I'm truly so grateful even for the opportunity to work in my lowly position. My boss asked me to continue working next year (even if I'm an MS1, riiight), so I would have something to do next year if the worst occurs.

It actually makes me really happy that people with such amazing stats want to go to UAB. I hope I get to go with them!

 

[QofQuimica]

lol, actually right now I'm only 23.

Q-if I recall you are originally from here, would you rather go to an Alabama school than a Florida school? I personally perfer the state of Alabama to Florida, but I know they have some great schools there as well.

Ok, that settles it. You definitely don't get to be a non-trad. 23 is young!

Actually, I'm from FL, but I went to grad school at UAB in biomedical sciences, so that's how I got to see so much of Volker Hall and the research buildings. There was one at the corner of 19th St. and 8th Ave. that was brand new when I was there, and we had our CMB classes in there. I think it's called Bevill? I forget now....I was 23 then, and it was a long time ago. 😛 And then there's the health sciences building, the one with its own library that has the pictures of the guy in the space suit who got to go on the space shuttle and conduct experiments? He's a scientist at UAB; I even met him and introduced him to my parents once. Have you ever seen that library? They had a copy of Linus Pauling's book "Nature of the Chemical Bond" that was signed by the author. Neato mosquito.

 

[jammin06]

hey ybbil,

I wanted to see how the interviews went at USA. I've heard that they are pretty laid back about it, but just wanted to see what your input was. Hope it went well. Anything you wish you had done beforehand?

 

[ybbil919]

It was a really good experience overall. I was more impressed by the school than I thought I would be. All the students really liked it there. I think two of my three interviews went really well, so hopefully I'll get in. I wish that they would tell you who you were interviewing with before the interview day, because I went into my interviews hardly knowing anything about the people I was interviewing with. I did glance at the boards inside the buildings that list everyone's office numbers so that I at least knew what department they were in. The day really improved after the interviews with lunch and the tours. The tour of the school is done by students and the tour of the Women's and Children's Hospital is done by Mark Scott. I was surprised that there were only twelve people there interviewing. I wish I had read up more on early assisted death since I got asked about it. I knew mostly what it was (enough to answer a question about it), but I felt really uneducated when I saw an article in the paper about it the very next morning. Just to let you know, they said that they won't be mailing out any acceptances until around November 15, and they probably won't accept a lot at that time. Also six out of the ten points that you can get have already been decided (3 for MCAT and 3 for GPA). This is a rambling of my interview experience there. Overall really impressed, I would not be unhappy to go here. I also filled out an interview feedback entry, so check there for specific questions.

 

[BooMed]

It was a really good experience overall. I was more impressed by the school than I thought I would be. All the students really liked it there. I think two of my three interviews went really well, so hopefully I'll get in. I wish that they would tell you who you were interviewing with before the interview day, because I went into my interviews hardly knowing anything about the people I was interviewing with. I did glance at the boards inside the buildings that list everyone's office numbers so that I at least knew what department they were in. The day really improved after the interviews with lunch and the tours. The tour of the school is done by students and the tour of the Women's and Children's Hospital is done by Mark Scott. I was surprised that there were only twelve people there interviewing. I wish I had read up more on early assisted death since I got asked about it. I knew mostly what it was (enough to answer a question about it), but I felt really uneducated when I saw an article in the paper about it the very next morning. Just to let you know, they said that they won't be mailing out any acceptances until around November 15, and they probably won't accept a lot at that time. Also six out of the ten points that you can get have already been decided (3 for MCAT and 3 for GPA). This is a rambling of my interview experience there. Overall really impressed, I would not be unhappy to go here. I also filled out an interview feedback entry, so check there for specific questions.

Hey ybbil, congratulations on your interview! It sounds like it went great. That's interesting about the "points" system, is that what most med schools do?

Do you think they were they asking about doctor assisted suicide because of the Supreme Court case currently pending? Oregon is the only state with such a law and the Bush administration has (so far unsucessfully) been trying to squash it for years now. It'll be really interesting to see how they rule on the issue.

 

[BooMed]

Ok, that settles it. You definitely don't get to be a non-trad. 23 is young!

Okay, so maybe I don't belong in your club... but non-trads are my favorite type of pre-med student! Less cutthroat-y-ness, more rational thought.

Alabama is actually totally cool. Nobody at home believes me. As though Oregon hasn't got it share of trailer parks and ho-dunk little towns.

 

[QofQuimica]

Alabama is actually totally cool. Nobody at home believes me. As though Oregon hasn't got it share of trailer parks and ho-dunk little towns.

True enough. The South gets a bad rap, but there is plenty of misery to go 'round.

 

[BooMed]

True enough. The South gets a bad rap, but there is plenty of misery to go 'round.

The crazy thing is, none of my friends have ever been here, but they have fully formed opinions about everything from how people with Southern accents are stupid ( 😱 ) to the daily race riots that must be taking place in B'Ham. Riiight. I never really thought about the South before I moved here, apparently I never saw the "South movie" or something.

 

[1/2asser]

I have 2 quick questions for ya'll. Based on what you know/have heard, how 'happy' are UAB students when compared with other schools? and how much clinical experience do they get in 1st and 2nd year?

 

[QofQuimica]

The crazy thing is, none of my friends have ever been here, but they have fully formed opinions about everything from how people with Southern accents are stupid ( 😱 ) to the daily race riots that must be taking place in B'Ham. Riiight. I never really thought about the South before I moved here, apparently I never saw the "South movie" or something.

I have to admit that I wasn't too excited about B'ham before I went there and saw UAB for myself. I mean, we grew up making fun of AL here in FL. But I was really super impressed with the school when I came out to visit, and B'ham and AL were a lot nicer than I had expected them to be. Once I got used to the accents, I was fine. 🙂

 

[BooMed]

Oh, we love Birmingham so far. I still miss Oregon a lot, especially the outdoors and the mellowness of it all, but the South really does have charm. And the weather here is so much nicer, I never knew there were places where it didn't rain 300 days out of the year.

As for UAB students... Last winter I met one of the school's deans, a man who also sets a lot of the curriculum, and he was a great guy. He seemed very sensitive to students' needs and actually had regular meetings where they could come to him with concerns about the school and possible solutions. I haven't met any current students yet though, so it's hard to know.

As far as clinical experience goes, I believe that’s one of the strongest aspects of a UAB education. The dean told me that patient interaction starts in the first week, and everyone I've ever talked to says that UAB students get tons of hands-on experience. 🙂

 

[QofQuimica]

1/2asser, I didn't know many straight MD students when I was there, but the first-year MD/PhD students took the Cell and Molecular Bio course sequence along with us first-year Joint Health Science grad students, so I did get to know several of them. They were pretty cool people; one of them was my study buddy our whole first year. It seems to me that UAB heavily focuses on primary care and underserved care as well as research and specialties. So I think you will get as much clinical exposure there as you care to have.

Have you heard anything from them yet, BooMed?

 

[BooMed]

No, and I don't think that I will until the October interviews are over. (Or possibly until after the November/December/... interviews are done!)

It does say that my file is complete though. 🙂 Are all your letters and things in? I finally got my wish for the temperature to drop, it's freezing here!

 

[QofQuimica]

No, and I don't think that I will until the October interviews are over. (Or possibly until after the November/December/... interviews are done!)

It does say that my file is complete though. 🙂 Are all your letters and things in? I finally got my wish for the temperature to drop, it's freezing here!

Ha ha, don't complain. It's still hot and humid down here. 🙄

They have my LORs, photo, and secondary, but they haven't cashed my check yet. Once they do that, I will be complete. 🙂