I'm an AZ resident who is going to Mayo, but I know a lot about the University of Arizona College of Medicine. I have many friends who are just graduated this May, in all four years of school, who are entering this year, and also applying this year. I would have definitely gone without question if I hadn't been offered positions at other top-notch schools. Everyone who I have talked to loves the school because of the level of support and encouragement all of the staff gives the students. If you have any concerns, learning problems, etc., there is guaranteed to be at least one person on staff to help you with whatever you need. The school boasts one of the higher levels of student satisfaction that most other schools. It probably doesn't hurt that the cost of living is incredibly cheap and Tucson is a nice place to live (if you like southern Arizona and great Mexican food). The cool thing about UofA is that you are guaranteed an interview if you are certified as a resident, and this past year, the pool was about 450 applicants for a class size of 100. 1 in 4.5 is about the best odds I ever heard of for med school applications. I applied to 11 MD-granting schools on the east coast, midwest, and west coast, as well as Arizona and got into 6. Being from Arizona is not a hinderance whatsoever in the application process. Just make sure your app is as well rounded as possible and apply widely. Just beware of questions about what Arizona is like (what is it like to live in the desert?) from eastcoasters and Cali natives. For some reason at interviews I always had other interviewees who would keep asking me about how hot it gets in Arizona and about desert trivia. Good luck and let me know if you want to know any specifics on UofA or anything else.
