Application for Rural Medicine Programs in Alabama

[Spibumosa]

Thank you in advance for taking the time to try to answer my question, as I'm new to the forum.

I have recently applied to the Rural Medical Scholars Program (RMSP) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and the Rural Medicine Program (RMP) at Auburn University. I had not heard anything from the either program, so I called the number listed [school of medicine's admissions department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)] to inquire about my application status. I was told that I could and should check my status online daily just like everyone else was.

Because I could not find where to check my status, I called the MEIS tech. number at the bottom of the application. They told me that the RMSP/RMP application statuses are not posted online, like the UAB School of Medicine Secondary Application's status was posted.

There is definitely a discrepancy between these two sources. I am getting very afraid that something could be wrong with my application, since interviews are in almost two weeks, and I still have not heard anything. Any information that anyone could provide would be immensely appreciated.

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[therunningdoc]

Im in one of the Rural Programs this year and we received an e-mail from Nathan Smith's office around 2 weeks prior to the interview. Either way, you will hear if you have an interview or not through e-mail. There is no other way to check on your status. If you have a question about your application, I would call either of the programs office on the pre-matriculation campuses. Good luck, the programs are great and are well worth it.

 

[Spibumosa]

Im in one of the Rural Programs this year and we received an e-mail from Nathan Smith's office around 2 weeks prior to the interview. Either way, you will hear if you have an interview or not through e-mail. There is no other way to check on your status. If you have a question about your application, I would call either of the programs office on the pre-matriculation campuses. Good luck, the programs are great and are well worth it.

Thank you very much. The information that you provided is extremely comforting. I'm really hoping that I get into one of the programs. I think that they would both be very beneficial to me.

 

[nossan]

Hey Spibumosa. I know someone who has applied to both programs as well. I just checked, and he has heard nothing from either school. If/when he hears something, I will come back and report it. Good luck!

 

[therunningdoc]

Sure thing. Needless to say, you should hear something this week. Noticed you mentioned you were waitlisted for this year...which means you should have pretty good numbers. Baring you are from a non-rural area, you should atleast get an interview. Thats where they weed people out for the programs.

 

[nossan]

therunningdoc - About how many people interview - for how many spaces?

 

[therunningdoc]

therunningdoc - About how many people interview - for how many spaces?

Well, there are two programs (Auburn/Huntsville and UA). Each program can take 10 (usually). Some years there are variations. Auburn has 10 this year. UA had 8 last year and 12 this year. Because the two programs are basically the same in intention, most people apply to both, and a majority of those (not all) get interviews to both. Applications are generally around 40 to both. Interviews usually are around 25 or so, but it varies. But keep in mind that it could be the same 25 interviewing, more or less, at both programs. That puts you at around 20/30 getting in. Not bad at all if you get an interview. Like I said, thats the key part where they tend to weed people out. And they are very good at it. You absolutely have to be show an interest in primary care and rural Alabama.

 

[nossan]

therunningdoc - I've heard that acceptances come pretty quickly after the rural interviews. Was that your experience? Is there much time to juggle "waitlist movement" against "deadline to accept rural offer?"

It sounds like your "pre-matriculation" year was a positive experience for you. What all was involved?

 

[therunningdoc]

therunningdoc - I've heard that acceptances come pretty quickly after the rural interviews. Was that your experience? Is there much time to juggle "waitlist movement" against "deadline to accept rural offer?"

It sounds like your "pre-matriculation" year was a positive experience for you. What all was involved?

Decisions do come back pretty quickly. Because the two programs interview the same students, it usually is around 1 week after the last program to interview (which I think is on the 19th). The e-mail with our acceptance offer indicated that we had 24 hours to reply to accept the offer or decline. So, that puts you around May 26th or so before you would 1) know if you get in one of the programs 2) decide to pull yourself from the waitlist.

In my opinion, if your numbers are good enough to get in the upper tier, I wouldn't be too concerned about deciding which one to choose (although I am not sure how the list is moving this year). I would like to think that the list would move enough to ensure you a placement by the end of May. If accepted into the program(s), I would have a hard time turning them down if I was in the second or third tier. But I just see that as an insurance policy.

My time with the program has been very good. The classes are somewhat helpful in giving better insight to small town primary care. The development of relationships with a group of people before you go to Med School has been the best part by far.

I don't think you can go wrong in accepting the offer if you get one, but I think it really just depends on how fast the list is moving. Obviously, getting in this year is priority, but if I knew I was locked in already through one of the programs, I really don't think I would choose any other route than what I've done.

Good luck, hope that helps. Let me know if you have any more questions. Always happy to help.

 

[nossan]

therunningdoc - Thank you for the great information!

How intense was this past year? Was anyone in the program able to work?

 

[therunningdoc]

Nothing too hard. Some of the science based classes are hard, but you should be used to that. A few trips here and there that require some time commitments. Outside of being on an irregular schedule that demands more time than effort, its nothing like an undergrad science major. You do learn a lot about rural health care, but its designed to be more thought provoking as opposed to rigorous. From my conversations with MS1's this year, first year makes you wish you were back in the program with more free time. But Im sure thats too be expected.

A few people in our group worked. Not sure about the other group. But like I said its a fairly irregular schedule, so things pop up and can limit when you're available. There will be days that you feel like you need a job, maybe two. But then there are days that you couldn't work if you needed to. Best bet is to have a flexible job that understands your time outside of the job is more important and that the program comes first. Its definitely doable though.

 

[nossan]

Interview offers came yesterday.

 

[Spibumosa]

When we interviewed at Auburn this past week, we were shown a lot of different activities that the Auburn program requires/allows RMP students to do.

For the first two years at UAB, these included:
Becoming an AAFP student member, attending all FMIG meetings, participating in the Department of Family Medicine Pathway program, attending the Alabama AFP annual student meeting in Desin, FL, taking an Introduction to Organized Medicine course, attending the AAFP national student meeting, and participating in the rural hospital visitation program

For the last two years at UAB, these included:
Attending all FMIG meetings, attending AAFP annual student meetings, a family medicine rural rotation, and a "rural" 2 month scholarly activity

Does the Alabama program require/offer these same opportunities to RMSP students?
Thank you!

 

[ahens23]

Could any of you who have been accpeted give your MCAT/GPA stats on here. Im planning on applying to these programs within a year.