- Joined
- Apr 22, 2021
- Messages
- 15
- Reaction score
- 29
With the TMDSAS match coming up tomorrow, I need to buckle down and rank these.
Baylor College of Medicine:
(I have not been accepted here, however, I interviewed at the last interview date and the dean said they would not have time to do any more prematch admissions from my interview day. for Texas residents before the prematch deadline. My interviewer spent the last 5 minutes of my interview trying to convince me to come, so I think I will get in even though I haven't been accepted yet.)
Pros:
- Name recognition/prestige/ranking
- Amazing clinical facilities
- Amazing research
- Most of the student areas newly renovated with lots of natural light to stay happy during long hard days
- Houston has great food and all the benefits of a big city
- Access to menninger clinic, and I am really into psych
- Access to texas children's, and I am also really into peds specialties
- Super responsive to my inquiries post interview, set up a meeting with the dean of students to talk about my personal situation and have responded to all my emails in less than 24 hours.
- All the students I spoke to are kind and smart.
- Great health insurance.
- Structure, which has really helped me stay on track in the past
- Both school and city super gay friendly
- great match rates and opportunities, really support their own
- true preclinical pass fail
Cons:
- Less flexibility
- Besides the actual interview part, the virtual interview programing was meh and they didn't spend a lot of time selling the school. I didn't really get a great idea of their culture.
- No idea about scholarships
- Biggest problem: My partner and child will be staying in Austin while I attend medical school. This is non-negotiable, result of a custody thing. BCM is 2.75 hours away from our home in Austin. (Dell is my top choice, I am ranking for second right now)
- Not a lot of non traditional students, parents, etc. Didn't get a sense that the students come from a bunch of different backgrounds/life experiences that make class interesting
- higher CoL than SA - if I don't get any scholarships, it will be at least 20K more a year. That being said, I think I will get at least some scholarship aid.
- students seem more stressed, but smaller sample size
UTHSCSA (Long SOM):
Prematch! Yesterday I wrote them to ask about scholarships and they awarded 5K on the spot, with a promise of more when they had more time.
Pros:
- Wonderful culture and staff. I've had many personal conversations with Dean Kellaway, students, faculty etc. and get such a great vibe from them.
- Closer to Austin so I can be with my partner and child if I don't get into Dell (1.5 hours). Possible we might be able to live in the same place if I am willing to commute 50 min one way (How realistic is this?)
- Closer to my parents, also in Austin
- Lots of nontrad students from diverse backgrounds, including parents of young children
- Huge emphasis on student wellness
- great match rates
- 1 week off to study for every test and a HUGE block of time to just do whatever, easier to fit in parenting
- really low CoL in San Antonio, might be able to afford to buy a house
- Less traffic
- Flexible with time off for future baby (?)
- Students seem really happy
- School is very gay friendly, not sure about SA at large (has free student run LGBTQ clinic)
- Lots of options to start your own program, but very difficult to keep it going after second year
- clearly defined mentorship opportunities with Veritas and lots of group learning
Cons:
- lacks the name recognition and ranking of BCM
- Less resources than BCM
- Unclear about the status of Children's hospital of San Antonio, which is now supposed to be run by BCM?
- San Antonio doesn't have the same opportunities/stuff to do as Houston
- Simulation facilities are not as nice
- General facilities are not as nice, majority of lounge spaces are in the basement without natural light.
- Rotation options are nice, but not the same as the TMC (no menninger)
- students say insurance is good, but not nearly as good as BCM (less OON coverage, which is important for my specific needs)
- Way less structure, which has been difficult for me to implement on my own
- Honors/high pass/pass/ low pass/ fail preclinical system, which they argue will help more with matching given step1 becoming p/f
San Antonio people seem happier, but Baylor seems to just be a better school. I think I can be happy there too, but I'm not sure. I'm not sure if I am underestimating the academic quality at San antonio, or underestimating the student support at baylor. Help me pick.
Baylor College of Medicine:
(I have not been accepted here, however, I interviewed at the last interview date and the dean said they would not have time to do any more prematch admissions from my interview day. for Texas residents before the prematch deadline. My interviewer spent the last 5 minutes of my interview trying to convince me to come, so I think I will get in even though I haven't been accepted yet.)
Pros:
- Name recognition/prestige/ranking
- Amazing clinical facilities
- Amazing research
- Most of the student areas newly renovated with lots of natural light to stay happy during long hard days
- Houston has great food and all the benefits of a big city
- Access to menninger clinic, and I am really into psych
- Access to texas children's, and I am also really into peds specialties
- Super responsive to my inquiries post interview, set up a meeting with the dean of students to talk about my personal situation and have responded to all my emails in less than 24 hours.
- All the students I spoke to are kind and smart.
- Great health insurance.
- Structure, which has really helped me stay on track in the past
- Both school and city super gay friendly
- great match rates and opportunities, really support their own
- true preclinical pass fail
Cons:
- Less flexibility
- Besides the actual interview part, the virtual interview programing was meh and they didn't spend a lot of time selling the school. I didn't really get a great idea of their culture.
- No idea about scholarships
- Biggest problem: My partner and child will be staying in Austin while I attend medical school. This is non-negotiable, result of a custody thing. BCM is 2.75 hours away from our home in Austin. (Dell is my top choice, I am ranking for second right now)
- Not a lot of non traditional students, parents, etc. Didn't get a sense that the students come from a bunch of different backgrounds/life experiences that make class interesting
- higher CoL than SA - if I don't get any scholarships, it will be at least 20K more a year. That being said, I think I will get at least some scholarship aid.
- students seem more stressed, but smaller sample size
UTHSCSA (Long SOM):
Prematch! Yesterday I wrote them to ask about scholarships and they awarded 5K on the spot, with a promise of more when they had more time.
Pros:
- Wonderful culture and staff. I've had many personal conversations with Dean Kellaway, students, faculty etc. and get such a great vibe from them.
- Closer to Austin so I can be with my partner and child if I don't get into Dell (1.5 hours). Possible we might be able to live in the same place if I am willing to commute 50 min one way (How realistic is this?)
- Closer to my parents, also in Austin
- Lots of nontrad students from diverse backgrounds, including parents of young children
- Huge emphasis on student wellness
- great match rates
- 1 week off to study for every test and a HUGE block of time to just do whatever, easier to fit in parenting
- really low CoL in San Antonio, might be able to afford to buy a house
- Less traffic
- Flexible with time off for future baby (?)
- Students seem really happy
- School is very gay friendly, not sure about SA at large (has free student run LGBTQ clinic)
- Lots of options to start your own program, but very difficult to keep it going after second year
- clearly defined mentorship opportunities with Veritas and lots of group learning
Cons:
- lacks the name recognition and ranking of BCM
- Less resources than BCM
- Unclear about the status of Children's hospital of San Antonio, which is now supposed to be run by BCM?
- San Antonio doesn't have the same opportunities/stuff to do as Houston
- Simulation facilities are not as nice
- General facilities are not as nice, majority of lounge spaces are in the basement without natural light.
- Rotation options are nice, but not the same as the TMC (no menninger)
- students say insurance is good, but not nearly as good as BCM (less OON coverage, which is important for my specific needs)
- Way less structure, which has been difficult for me to implement on my own
- Honors/high pass/pass/ low pass/ fail preclinical system, which they argue will help more with matching given step1 becoming p/f
San Antonio people seem happier, but Baylor seems to just be a better school. I think I can be happy there too, but I'm not sure. I'm not sure if I am underestimating the academic quality at San antonio, or underestimating the student support at baylor. Help me pick.
