Free medical school in Florida!

[DrJosephKim]

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This is an amazing story for 40 really fortunate medical students who are getting a free ride at the University of Central Florida.

The story is on CNN Money.com and can be found here:
http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/30/news/economy/healthcare_medicalschool_free/index.htm

All 40 students of this charter class that begins Monday have received full scholarships totaling $7 million, donated entirely by members of the community -- including individuals, hospitals, banks and law firms. Amazing!

 

[Doublecortin]

This is an amazing story for 40 really fortunate medical students who are getting a free ride at the University of Central Florida.

The story is on CNN Money.com and can be found here:
http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/30/news/economy/healthcare_medicalschool_free/index.htm

All 40 students of this charter class that begins Monday have received full scholarships totaling $7 million, donated entirely by members of the community -- including individuals, hospitals, banks and law firms. Amazing!

their future cash cows

 

[mleick]

Interviewed here and got waitlisted--seemed like an amazing program, congrats to the lucky 40!

 

[Dr McSteamy]

nothing is really free

wats the catch?

 

[QuaerensIntelle]

The catch is it won't be fully accredited until our fourth year, same as all new medical schools. There is no repayment or time obligation, as our scholarships were provided completely by private donations. It is an *amazing* opportunity, and I feel incredibly fortunate. I am starting tomorrow!

 

[FatKid]

The catch is it won't be fully accredited until our fourth year, same as all new medical schools. There is no repayment or time obligation, as our scholarships were provided completely by private donations. It is an *amazing* opportunity, and I feel incredibly fortunate. I am starting tomorrow!

It will be very difficult for students of this medical school to get into non-primary care specialties since PD's will know nothing about the program or its clinical foundations.

 

[FatKid]

nothing is really free

wats the catch?

See my post above.

Nothing in this world is free.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

the catch is u have to be the experimental mice of the school

 

[OPPforlife]

the catch probably has to do with florida residency, financial needs, and merit as well.

 

[umean2tellme]

Cool program. My friend is one of the 40 and he's happy.

 

[QuaerensIntelle]

Charter class members are not historically limited to "primary" care residencies. Look at FSU's match results for example.

If I do just as well as you do on Step 1 and I'm doing rotations that have been at ORMC for over a decade, I don't see how what you are saying makes any sense (based on both common sense and having conversations with about 10-15 physicians some of whom served on residency committees.)
Furthermore, even foreign medical graduates are not limited to primary care, let alone a new US allopathic program.

Also, Florida residency wasn't relevant. We have 10 out of state students.

 

[umean2tellme]

Also just because your school is new doesn't mean residencies don't know anything about it. It's not like our faculty and administration is made up of people who graduated med school last year. People that go and teach/work at new med schools are generally well established docs from all over at other schools, so come time for residency apps you may not come from a well known school but your letter writers can call ahead to their friends at X program and recommend you. Scores and connections matter a lot more than how old your school is, at least that is my opinion.

 

[mjl1717]

the catch is u have to be the experimental mice of the school

Funny! I agree, nothing is free... And there is just no easy way!

Eg..[Look at Dr. Conrad Murray--came here from the islands.....Thought there was any easy way being greedy, "Buddying up" with Michael Jackson/ asking him for 1 million duckets a month.......Only to kill the guy, be embarrassed probably lose his license and possible jail time...

🙄

 

[BlueElmo]

It will be very difficult for students of this medical school to get into non-primary care specialties since PD's will know nothing about the program or its clinical foundations.

Is this true? How much will this matter if you don't want to go into primary care?

 

[sgtbrushes]

Just as going to Harvard or Hopkins will brand you, and place you at a (statistically accurate, more often than not) higher level of competition for competitive residencies, the first few classes graduating from UCF may experience discrimination from top-tier residency programs. Until their first class graduates, no one will know.

But had I been applying to med schools at the time, I would have applied and accepted in a heartbeat to UCF's first class.

 

[Perrotfish]

the catch is u have to be the experimental mice of the school

Whatever, my ancient and painfully overpriced medical school is in the middle of yet another curriculum revamp, so it's not like I get out of being a lab rat. As long as the top medical schools keep coming up with newer and stupider fads most medical students are going to be going through untested curricula. "Oh so now you're waterboarding us during our TBLs? Well if Duke thinks it a good idea I guess we need to do it too"

Just as going to Harvard or Hopkins will brand you, and place you at a (statistically accurate, more often than not) higher level of competition for competitive residencies, the first few classes graduating from UCF may experience discrimination from top-tier residency programs. Until their first class graduates, no one will know.

Do you have any data to back this up? Everything thing I've seen is that, when you normalize for board scores and number of publications, medical students from one allopathic schools tend to do just as well as medical students from another. Our profession has replaced branding with standardized testing.

Anyway congrats to the new UCF class. Sounds like an incredible deal.

 

[MossPoh]

There really is no evidence that a first year class has any lower chances than any other school. If you look at first year classes from a variety of newer schools (mostly DO) you will see pretty solid match lists with a fair amount of competitive specialties. The biggest disadvantage of the first class is that you don't have anyone to ask for advice ahead of you. You don't know the tricks of the profs or what to expect with certain sections.

 

[BlueElmo]

Just as going to Harvard or Hopkins will brand you, and place you at a (statistically accurate, more often than not) higher level of competition for competitive residencies, the first few classes graduating from UCF may experience discrimination from top-tier residency programs. Until their first class graduates, no one will know.

But had I been applying to med schools at the time, I would have applied and accepted in a heartbeat to UCF's first class.

Really, why? Would you have gone to a new school like UCF or FIU over a more establised program that may not be highly ranked but still a established school?

 

[jvesco22]

Really, why? Would you have gone to a new school like UCF or FIU over a more establised program that may not be highly ranked but still a established school?

It's all about the Benjamins baby