Can I ask a dumb question?

[sausalito]

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Often times, I'm reading or searching on the forum and I come across things that I don't understand and for which I can't find an answer. As much as I think I'm on top my pre-med game, I still have so much to learn and ask, and I'll assume there are others in my position. So, the thread is open for others who have "dumb" questions or want to know something but are too embarrassed to ask for fear of sounding like an idiot.

I don't care if you judge me, but I promise not to judge anyone who has questions of there own. 🙂

My question is: why are med school applicants from some states better off than others? I've seen some people say "too bad you're from CA" or "if you're from Texas or Florida, you're in good shape". What's that about?

 

[coolingglasses]

Often times, I'm reading or searching on the forum and I come across things that I don't understand and for which I can't find an answer. As much as I think I'm on top my pre-med game, I still have so much to learn and ask, and I'll assume there are others in my position. So, the thread is open for others who have "dumb" questions or want to know something but are too embarrassed to ask for fear of sounding like an idiot.

I don't care if you judge me, but I promise not to judge anyone who has questions of there own. 🙂

My question is: why are med school applicants from some states better off than others? I've seen some people say "too bad you're from CA" or "if you're from Texas or Florida, you're in good shape". What's that about?

As I understand it, California students have a hard time getting into their own schools. High demand, as you can imagine. So then they have to reach out of state, but being out of state is generally disadvantageous.

Texas students get dibs at their own public schools (90% mandate by state law).

Dunno what the story is about Florida.

 

[TangoDown]

Med schools in California are some of the most well known/competitive in the country. All the UC schools including UCSF are extremely high ranked schools. Furthermore, California is a very large state with a very large populous, so you've got a lot of pre-meds applying coming out of the CSU and UC system. These two factors make getting into a state school for a CA resident (like myself) an order of magnitude harder.

So CA residents who don't have the amazing stats/ECs to get into a state school have to apply out of state; a practice that is disadvantageous because many schools in other states favor their own (in-state) applicants.

 

[CanePreMed]

The deal with Florida is that we have seven MD schools and two DO schools, and the public universities are required to take a certain percentage of in state applicants. More schools equates to better in state odds. There are a few states with nine schools like Florida, with only New York and California having more.

 

[Seth Joo]

Often times, I'm reading or searching on the forum and I come across things that I don't understand and for which I can't find an answer. As much as I think I'm on top my pre-med game, I still have so much to learn and ask, and I'll assume there are others in my position. So, the thread is open for others who have "dumb" questions or want to know something but are too embarrassed to ask for fear of sounding like an idiot.

I don't care if you judge me, but I promise not to judge anyone who has questions of there own. 🙂

My question is: why are med school applicants from some states better off than others? I've seen some people say "too bad you're from CA" or "if you're from Texas or Florida, you're in good shape". What's that about?

Public schools will generally have a preference for in state students. Private schools are a different matter.

 

[touchpause13]

So in North Dakota there is 1 medical school and 90% of those seats are for ND residents exclusively. And there aren't that many people who apply so there is a lot less competition.

 

[sausalito]

Wow. Thanks so much for that everyone, a real eye opener. Sounds like a lose-lose situation or at least a steep hill to climb, especially for underdogs.

 

[cabinbuilder]

There is also the WAMI program. University of Washington has certain seats set aside for those states without a medical school: Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. I think it's 15-20 seats per state - highly competitive though.

There is also the DO "WAMI" at PNW in Yakima. They take about 75% of their students from the Pacific Northwest states. I know this because I helped set up some rotations for the students there and am friends with the past dean.

 

[Mavs88]

Here is Texas, we have 9 medical schools and 90% IS rule so it's pretty great.

If you're at a disadvantage, you can always look into bordering states! For example, University of New Mexico has a special admissions policy where students from states that have no medical school are given some sort of a quota. Don't quote me on that, but it's something along those lines.