Florida Schools Application thread (2008)

[mikedc813]

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How appropriate (or inappropriate) would it be to have your peer letter written by your spouse? Any thoughts on either side of the coin? Thanks in advance.

It probably won't be given much consideration because it will be so biased.

 

[Team Zissou]

for those tht have/had miami interview.. did they offer the interview by phone or email?

 

[Avenger9]

As opposed to, say, your best friend in college who wouldn't be so biased? 🙂

Not trying to be a smartass, but maybe I've got my head in the sand here and I can't really see it from the other side. Anyone else care to chime in and help explain why a spouse is no good?

If we have the option to choose our peer -- are you not going to pick someone who can write very well about your interest and qualities? I guess I wonder how much the adcom expects the peer writer to be unbiased, if at all. Or, if these letters are pretty much entirely just friends writing all good things about their friends. *shrug*

It probably won't be given much consideration because it will be so biased.

 

[greg1184]

for those tht have/had miami interview.. did they offer the interview by phone or email?

It was said earlier in this thread but yeah... all interview invites, acceptances, rejections, waiting lists verdicts are sent to you by email and then a hard copy is sent.

 

[CGuy07]

Just got the invite from Univ. of Florida! Woohoo!

 

[Team Zissou]

👍 congrats on uf

 

[greg1184]

I am kind of suprised with UF since I applied early (august) there. My stats are decent for that school. Oh well, that's why they say I could here now or up to March.

 

[Team Zissou]

just got a usf interview👍 man it feels good.

 

[CGuy07]

just got a usf interview👍 man it feels good.

Congrats!

 

[pandulce321]

I just got back from USF and I loved it. Now the waiting game starts... 😍

 

[AKN]

IMHO, even better than going to these premed days would be for you to contact REL Larkin, who is now at UCF, and get personalized pre-app counseling if you haven't already applied. REL gives excellent advice on how to make your app as strong as possible.

Thanks for the advice. I'll contact him soon; I'm applying next year. I hope I can make a phone appointment, because I'm 6+ hours away...

 

[gujuDoc]

I am kind of suprised with UF since I applied early (august) there. My stats are decent for that school. Oh well, that's why they say I could here now or up to March.

UF is a very fickle school. Sometimes they'll make you wait a long time for an interview and sometimes they wont. Sometimes they will give an early interview and make you wait ages for an acceptance. Things like this are how USF is.

 

[gujuDoc]

Just wanted to clarify a few things about FSU...no offense to guju 🙂

They DO try to include geriatrics, family med, rural health into EVERYTHING clinical you do...but a good majority of our class is interested in more competitive residency programs (but that doesnt change the schools mission).

We DO have mandatory attendance (which also means no video streaming, no transcription services, and things from the professors mouth will end up on the test more often than not...) however, we only have to 'sign in' for doctoring...other courses have the expectation that you will attend (and there is a faculty member whose job it is to memorize faces and notice when you are not there...but this person is only there at the start of the lecture block..so if you leave after that, nobody would technically know--and they dont really care too much except for w/ doctoring)

The LC's are mainly for our own use (to study, eat, sleep, play...haha), and we are not limited to staying in our 'assigned' LC...but they are really nice for getting to know 30 people really well 🙂 We do have small group pbl type things a couple times a week (held in one of the 4 conference rooms available in each LC) but they do change every couple months, so you are not stuck with the same group of people if you end up with a 'bad' group. the AWESOME thing about the LC's is that if you ask nicely for the university to purchase something for your LC and it can somehow facilitate learning, they will get it for you....and unlimited printing is nice too 🙂

The ability to choose with the clinical year sites is NO LONGER based on family responsibilities, etc...and from our class on...the ability to have a choice in where you go for clinicals is determined by the CLASS as a whole...this is really nice, since the class is 'younger' than previous years, and we dont have anyone with kids and only a couple married students..so we obviously have different motives for site choice. It is based on a lotto system and those who choose lower numbers gets the first pick, then so on and so forth until the slots are all filled up. One thing I didnt realize until I went here is that you WILL NOT be sent to Marianna or Thomasville unless you want to go there and sign up for the rural track...if you dont want rural, you will not be forced to go there!

I BIG thing that I like about FSU is that we start clinical SP (standardized patient) stuff in the Summer alongside gross and by the time other school have started in Aug we have already been through the entire history and head/neck/eye/ear exams....and it keeps moving at a pretty quick clip...for example, we have done pulm, cardio, abdomen in the month of Sept. By the end of first year, every student will know the entire head to toe exam (including genital and prostate exams). In second year, while taking path, you are able to use what you are learning in our SP exams because you walk into the exam room and have to determine where to take the exam (which systems, which tests, etc..)...then try to come up with a basic diagnosis (and learn SOAP notes...so you know what you are doing in 3rd year) We also have preceptorships starting in the spring, where we will be taking what we learn with the SP's into clinics in the area with real PT's. This is probably the best thing about FSU and something that I had no clue about until I went here!

Research IS here (the research building it larger than the COM...lol) and students have every opportunity to do research in the summer (paid) like at any other school...also because 2nd years are out of class in the summer when anatomy is beginning, there is an added opportunity of being a TA for the summer. You can also do research during the school year...but not a lot of people do it because of lack of time becomes a big issue.

Just like other schools, there is a lot going on socially here as well...our class is involved in university wide intermurral (spelling?) sports, play sports with each other just for the heck of it a few times a week (between classes, etc) and go out as a group every couple weekends and have post test parties. There is definately a close-ness within the group 🙂

Another thing, our class is REALLY trying to be proactive to make things more like the other schools in the state and the school is actually listening to our input...they want to make this school one of the best possible and I see how in a few years we are going to be matching right up there with the other state schools.

haha...I think im finished with my essay now...sorry its so long 🙂

Thanks for the post. Just one thing to clarify. What I said about them pushing down the idea of geriatrics and Primary care. I was only repeating what I have heard on here on SDN by some posters such as the MS 3 Biscuit79 and also what I've heard from someone who goes there when they posted on another mutual friend's facebook wall.

In no way shape or form was I saying no one can go into competitive fields but that the mission of the school was to try to aim to get people to go into those areas as that is the notion for which they were able to convince the Fl. govt to allow for a new med school under.

I will thank you for your clarifications though as it is nice to hear from those with in depth knowledge. i was just doing the best I could with my limited knowledge of the school and then referred them to those who I know who post on here that go to FSU or UF or other schools for which I don't have as much knowledge for and in FSU's case referred them to Biscuit79. Ok hope no hard feelings. Good luck with medical school.

 

[Team Zissou]

I just got back from USF and I loved it. Now the waiting game starts... 😍

yea ive heard nothing but good things about USF lately.. how were the interviews?? Very formal or more laid back?

 

[pandulce321]

yea ive heard nothing but good things about USF lately.. how were the interviews?? Very formal or more laid back?

Very laid back. I had a wonderful experience.

 

[Neg Lakay]

OH YEAAAAHHHH, I just got the invite from UF yesterday. I am so excited. Anyone else interviewing at the end of the month.

 

[mikedc813]

just got a usf interview👍 man it feels good.

Congrats! I look forward to meeting you when you interview.

 

[mikedc813]

I just got back from USF and I loved it. Now the waiting game starts... 😍

I am glad you had a great experience on your interview day. That is how I felt when I interviewed, and it really made it that much easier to pick USF. I was there in the morning, but unfortunately did not meet you personally. The waiting game sucks I know. Good luck.

 

[gujuDoc]

Very laid back. I had a wonderful experience.

Don't forget to update SDN feedback.

Same goes to all of you. As you interview if you could please kindly add updates to SDN feedback for future interviewers about your experiences and what positively and negatively impressed you as well as describing the questions which you were asked especially if it was anything different from the list I gave you that I collected from there. That would be awesome. Thanks.

 

[gujuDoc]

How appropriate (or inappropriate) would it be to have your peer letter written by your spouse? Any thoughts on either side of the coin? Thanks in advance.

I am with the others who say that it is better to not have your wife write the letter. Typically they want to hear about what you are like either from the perspective of a friend, classmate, or colleague like a work or volunteer colleague. I guess they want to see how well you work with other people while also being able to understand what kind of person you are.

Even though it would be a friend or classmate, it seems like it would be less biased and more professional if it is a peer. If it is a friend that has either worked with you or doing a similar thing to you it is nice to see someone who understands the field be able to tell from their perspective why they think you'd be able to do a good job.

I think it is an unsafe idea to have family members, spouses, or other such conflicts of interest write a letter for you. Even though other letters are only going to be from people with positive things to say they are not from those that are directly related to you which is what makes them more professional in manner and when they come from those within your turf i.e. classmates they are coming from people who can speak for how you are in terms of working together with other people, competence, etc. in a way your spouse if she is not your classmate will not be able to do.

This is a general rule of thumb not only for med school apps but also for job applications and other such things which require a peer recommendation.

 

[gujuDoc]

As opposed to, say, your best friend in college who wouldn't be so biased? 🙂

Not trying to be a smartass, but maybe I've got my head in the sand here and I can't really see it from the other side. Anyone else care to chime in and help explain why a spouse is no good?

If we have the option to choose our peer -- are you not going to pick someone who can write very well about your interest and qualities? I guess I wonder how much the adcom expects the peer writer to be unbiased, if at all. Or, if these letters are pretty much entirely just friends writing all good things about their friends. *shrug*

Yes but as a general rule of thumb whether it is med school apps, job apps, etc. peer reviewed peer recommended etc. refers to those within the same line as you or people who've worked with you in some capacity that have known you well or taken courses with you and can attest to how well of a team player you are, how well you work with others, etc.

A friends perspective is much different then a family perspective because family will talk great about family even if they've done some of the most immature things. They will often not notice many things because they don't care. A peer who is within the field can and may tell the your strengths and weaknesses and be able to show a committee how you are as a team player, group members, leading and ability to help others if they don't understand a concept. They want to see from a student's perspective or a work colleague's perspective how you are at defining solutions to problems, whether you are willing to help others, have leadership potential, etc.

The point is that a colleague can give the perspective of what you might be like when you enter medical school in terms with how you will get a long with the different personalities within the classroom. Unless your wife is your classmate she has not seen that side of you and only sees how you are on the home front and with family friends and what not. She does not tell anything about your work relationships.

 

[gujuDoc]

OH YEAAAAHHHH, I just got the invite from UF yesterday. I am so excited. Anyone else interviewing at the end of the month.

Good luck and CONGRATS!!!!!! 😀

 

[medguy83]

For those who've received USF invites, 1) did they invite three weeks in advance? 2) did they call on a Monday?

It sounds trivial, and probably is, but I'm just wondering how they're organizing their invitations this season. I know FSU invited me only 4 or so days ahead of time, and I have heard of a few people being invited to USF later in the week for the following Monday. Just trying to see if they're sticking to their protocol this season. Great to hear of everyone getting invites, UF, UM, USF, FSU, etc. Seems things are really picking up now that it's Oct.

 

[REL]

Yep. Got branded with the big "R"; although I'm technically only a reapplicant at USF. Made a dumb move last time and only applied there; was on their waiting list for months. Technically, I was never formally rejected or told the "bad news"; not sure if I was supposed to receive any such notification. Had to find out the hard way when the POM class started and I was still waiting for phone calls from REL. Anyways, no hard feelings. Hopefully, this year I'll have better chances. I did more volunteer work and EC's which to their estimation was lacking in my application; even though I volunteered, did research, shadowed, etc. like everyone else. Now that I'm applying broadly, I hope to hear better news this year. Word to the wise, med school rejection is horrible, but don't let it prevent you from doing what you want in life.

Hey Medguy, sorry that I didnt call ya to let you know that the chances were slimming out....in previous years I would have. The difficulty that I had was that I no longer had access to your data. I'm sure that you know that I left USF on June 30. Interview day 8-5??? Wow!!

 

[greg1184]

Hey Medguy, sorry that I didnt call ya to let you know that the chances were slimming out....in previous years I would have. The difficulty that I had was that I no longer had access to your data. I'm sure that you know that I left USF on June 30. Interview day 8-5??? Wow!!

Hey REL, welcome to the new thread. 🙂

 

[Avenger9]

Thanks for that perspective, gujuDoc.

 

[Soccer885]

Very laid back. I had a wonderful experience.

I am glad you liked USF. I love it and I hope everyone else gets the opportunity to see what a great school it is. Keep us updated on the outcome! Good luck!

 

[medguy83]

Hey Medguy, sorry that I didnt call ya to let you know that the chances were slimming out....in previous years I would have. The difficulty that I had was that I no longer had access to your data. I'm sure that you know that I left USF on June 30. Interview day 8-5??? Wow!!

Hey REL! no worries. It's great to see you in the FL thread again. I hope things are going well at UCF. It seems like yesterday I was waiting to get an invite from USF. I personally felt you did an amazing job with us at USF during the app. process. Something I only realize now with many admissions offices giving me the "we'll call you" routine. Hopefully, this year USF will have some good news for me 😍 (please!!)

 

[REL]

Agreed, no prob. If you got interviewed last year, and got interviewed in an early group this year, it probably means that you addressed any possible weaknesses. Let's pray that it does the trick (without the wait list!!).

So it was really an 8-5 interview day?

 

[gujuDoc]

Agreed, no prob. If you got interviewed last year, and got interviewed in an early group this year, it probably means that you addressed any possible weaknesses. Let's pray that it does the trick (without the wait list!!).

So it was really an 8-5 interview day?

This is why all respect you so much!!! Very few people would go out of their way to apologize for not letting the candidates know about what happened to their app status the way you just did. Hope it is going well over at UCF.

BTW I think your advice to do one of the regular masters programs at the COM and not IMS was a good idea. I'm liking the program i'm and doing well in it so far. 🙂

 

[gujuDoc]

Thanks for that perspective, gujuDoc.

No problema. I'm sure you'll be able to find a classmate or someone you volunteer with or are in a student organization with or have worked with in the job capacity who will be able to do this for you. I know most of the students even the older married non trad students find it easy to find classmates or close friends or coworkers to this for them here at USF. I've done quite a few for different USF students in the past too who I've known pretty well. One of them ended up getting an interview to UF last year for whom I wrote a letter, but he was awesome as it was as an applicant. He ended up at a top tier ivy league school.

 

[medguy83]

Agreed, no prob. If you got interviewed last year, and got interviewed in an early group this year, it probably means that you addressed any possible weaknesses. Let's pray that it does the trick (without the wait list!!).

So it was really an 8-5 interview day?

8-5, yep. At least from what I remember. Got at the COM around 7:45am, left probably around 4:30-ish pm, so pretty much a full day. Went by fast though as most interview days tend to be. The FSU interview day lasted only from 11:00am - 3:00pm, so it was basically lunch, a tour, interviews, and that was it. I think a little more time should have been spent on the program, financial aid, housing, etc, but that's just me.

BTW, how early is considered an "early group"? I'm thinking anything before
'08. Thanks for the help REL.👍

 

[NewAndImproved]

Agreed, no prob. If you got interviewed last year, and got interviewed in an early group this year, it probably means that you addressed any possible weaknesses. Let's pray that it does the trick (without the wait list!!).

I'm not a reapplicant but I do wonder if there is something noteworthy about being in an "early group" beyond the rolling admissions advantage. Does an admissions office have time to rank the thousands of apps they get in order to get their most desired candidates in the door first? Are the "early groups" composed of people that they are really interested in or are they simply the apps that arrived first?

 

[chudog15]

is this something i should be concerned about? I recieved interview invites to uf and miami pretty early (back in august for both) but I scheduled my interviews in november because of availability issues.

Does it adversely affect my acceptance chances to schedule a later interview? BOth schools wanted the interview date to occur within a couple weeks of the invite but i couldnt accomodate it.

 

[mikedc813]

I'm not a reapplicant but I do wonder if there is something noteworthy about being in an "early group" beyond the rolling admissions advantage. Does an admissions office have time to rank the thousands of apps they get in order to get their most desired candidates in the door first? Are the "early groups" composed of people that they are really interested in or are they simply the apps that arrived first?

In general, the more qualified applicants (on paper) are interviewed earlier in the interview season....

 

[mikedc813]

is this something i should be concerned about? I recieved interview invites to uf and miami pretty early (back in august for both) but I scheduled my interviews in november because of availability issues.

Does it adversely affect my acceptance chances to schedule a later interview? BOth schools wanted the interview date to occur within a couple weeks of the invite but i couldnt accomodate it.

I don't think it matters for you since it's still relatively early in the interview season. Most people who interview later (in the spring) tend to be waitlisted because the class is already filled. Whether schools fill their class before they finish interviewing everyone varies. USF aims to be able to tell all interviewing applicants that there is always an open seat even in the spring.

 

[QofQuimica]

How appropriate (or inappropriate) would it be to have your peer letter written by your spouse? Any thoughts on either side of the coin? Thanks in advance.

Not appropriate. Don't ever have a family member write you a letter.

 

[QofQuimica]

As opposed to, say, your best friend in college who wouldn't be so biased? 🙂

Not trying to be a smartass, but maybe I've got my head in the sand here and I can't really see it from the other side. Anyone else care to chime in and help explain why a spouse is no good?

If we have the option to choose our peer -- are you not going to pick someone who can write very well about your interest and qualities? I guess I wonder how much the adcom expects the peer writer to be unbiased, if at all. Or, if these letters are pretty much entirely just friends writing all good things about their friends. *shrug*

I can't speak for everyone, but here's my rule of thumb: if you're intimately involved with the person or you share significant numbers of genes with them (hopefully not both!), then you should not ask them for a LOR. Basically, you want to ask someone who knows you well, but as a colleague, not in the biblical sense. 😉 Like guju already said, pick someone who has a professional relationship with you, not a personal one. I probably wouldn't ask a best friend either; ask someone you work with or know from school. to you. 🙂

 

[gujuDoc]

I can't speak for everyone, but here's my rule of thumb: if you're intimately involved with the person or you share significant numbers of genes with them (hopefully not both!), then you should not ask them for a LOR. Basically, you want to ask someone who knows you well, but as a colleague, not in the biblical sense. 😉 Like guju already said, pick someone who has a professional relationship with you, not a personal one. I probably wouldn't ask a best friend either; ask someone you work with or know from school. to you. 🙂

Yeah and if it is a best friend they should also be someone who worked with you or was a classmate of yours or group member of student organization etc.

I have written LORs for friends but they were people who were classmates or people whom I've seen in action on a professional level.

 

[gujuDoc]

I don't think it matters for you since it's still relatively early in the interview season. Most people who interview later (in the spring) tend to be waitlisted because the class is already filled. Whether schools fill their class before they finish interviewing everyone varies. USF aims to be able to tell all interviewing applicants that there is always an open seat even in the spring.

I would like to add something to this. If it is anything like REL described in the past the majority of each matriculated class will be made up of 50% of the people being waitlisted people.

Those who are initially accepted who are the more competitive types will be people who often get multiple acceptances. I don't know if this held true this year but in years past as much as 60 of 120 students were former watilistees. Waitlistees at USF were placed into 3 tiers and those in the top tier often did make it into USF as well as a few from the mid tier but the low tier meant you had a very slim chance of getting in.

 

[gujuDoc]

is this something i should be concerned about? I recieved interview invites to uf and miami pretty early (back in august for both) but I scheduled my interviews in november because of availability issues.

Does it adversely affect my acceptance chances to schedule a later interview? BOth schools wanted the interview date to occur within a couple weeks of the invite but i couldnt accomodate it.

USF usually tells you their decision within 10 days of your interview. As per Miami they take about 4 weeks to tell you if it is as it was in 2004 when a former classmate interviewed there. November is not even the halfway point of the cycle so the likelihood of the class being full or scheduling for November affecting you is pretty slim.

 

[gujuDoc]

I'm not a reapplicant but I do wonder if there is something noteworthy about being in an "early group" beyond the rolling admissions advantage. Does an admissions office have time to rank the thousands of apps they get in order to get their most desired candidates in the door first? Are the "early groups" composed of people that they are really interested in or are they simply the apps that arrived first?

At USF and Miami I'm pretty sure if you are interviewed earlier it means you are considered a more competitive candidate either due to numerical or other reasons. I know Miami used to do this thing where they ranked applications based on the following:

20 pts for direct clinical contact
15 pts for other ECs
15 pts for LORs
50 pts for MCAT and GPA
10 pts to take into acct any adversities you might have faced.

Based on this scoring system people would be ranked in terms of paper profile and then based on their ranking that would determine who'd get interview offers. This is what Dr. Hinkley explained to us at a premed forum.

The ranking system was just used to determine who they wanted to interview.

At USF they don't have any such ranking system but general trends that I've seen are that those with higher numbers and stellar ECs get interviewed first while those who struggled in one aspect or the other (MCAT or GPA) usually get later interviews if their latest score from MCAT is lower or if their GPA is lower.

 

[timurx]

hey guju, I have a question for you...I have my interview at USF on Monday (10/8) so will I be able to hear back by Oct. 15th? Or will I have to wait until Oct. 17, which would be exactly 10 days later?

 

[gujuDoc]

hey guju, I have a question for you...I have my interview at USF on Monday (10/8) so will I be able to hear back by Oct. 15th? Or will I have to wait until Oct. 17, which would be exactly 10 days later?

On the 17th. They make decisions on Tuesday and call on Wednesday. That's how they did it in the past. I believe that's how they did it on EDP interview days this year to so it seems they are sticking to the old protocol.

😛

Hope you do well and good luck!!!

As per Pandaluce, I hope you get good news next week.

 

[snsboy16]

OH YEAAAAHHHH, I just got the invite from UF yesterday. I am so excited. Anyone else interviewing at the end of the month.

I got the invite about a week ago, but scheduled mine for Nov 9th. Lemme know how yours goes and congrats!

 

[medguy83]

On the 17th. They make decisions on Tuesday and call on Wednesday. That's how they did it in the past. I believe that's how they did it on EDP interview days this year to so it seems they are sticking to the old protocol.

😛

Hope you do well and good luck!!!

As per Pandaluce, I hope you get good news next week.

Yeah, all this while I thought FL schools will call on the 15th. Found out it's a few days later; at least that's FSU's policy as well. It's trivial, but two days in terms of hearing your "verdict" can seem so long. Hope everyone is doing well so far with interviews. I'm still salivating for a possible invite from USF. For those who've gotten interviews there already, did the invites occur on a Monday? I'm thinking that's usually what they do, although I know there have been exceptions. Thanks.

 

[NewAndImproved]

As far as this USF ten day notification thing...that time line is subject to the AAMC policy that prohibits applicants from being notified prior to October 15th, right? In other words, if we've interviewed on or before October 1 (Monday interviews), we won't hear anything until October 15th?

Further (if the answer to the above question is yes) - we probably won't hear anything on the 15th either because that's a Monday and the admissions office is going to have their hands full with other interviewees?

 

[greg1184]

Yeah, all this while I thought FL schools will call on the 15th. Found out it's a few days later; at least that's FSU's policy as well. It's trivial, but two days in terms of hearing your "verdict" can seem so long. Hope everyone is doing well so far with interviews. I'm still salivating for a possible invite from USF. For those who've gotten interviews there already, did the invites occur on a Monday? I'm thinking that's usually what they do, although I know there have been exceptions. Thanks.

The only thing that makes the 15th come into play is if their scheduled day for decision/notification is prior to the 15th. If it comes afterwards, well the 15th doesn't matter.

 

[pandulce321]

On the 17th. They make decisions on Tuesday and call on Wednesday. That's how they did it in the past. I believe that's how they did it on EDP interview days this year to so it seems they are sticking to the old protocol.

😛

Hope you do well and good luck!!!

As per Pandaluce, I hope you get good news next week.

Thank you!! I loved USF... I hope they loved me!

 

[gujuDoc]

The only thing that makes the 15th come into play is if their scheduled day for decision/notification is prior to the 15th. If it comes afterwards, well the 15th doesn't matter.

Yeah the issue of the 15th would be more of an issue for schools like Vanderbilt where they have interviews as early as the beginning of August.