premed at UT austin?

[tuke]

hi, i've just recently discovered this forum and it seems to be pretty informative. i'm a prospective premed student for fall 2006 and i'd just like to ask some questions about premed at UT for those who are knowledgeable about it. so be nice to me.

generally, i have the notion that premed at UT is not very easy. from what i can infer, premed there is largely very competitive, mainly due to the competitiveness of students all competing for the A/4.0 in their classes, especially in the intro/prequisuite premed classes. besides that, i understand UT Austin provides many research and volunteer opportunities (right?). im just mainly concerned about the grade-aspect of premed at UT - is it difficult, or is it reasonably possible to make A's? overall, i consider myself as a pretty studious student, as im in the top 4-5% of my class and blahblahblah, but im still worried about making the grade at UT. can someone please refute or support my notion?

and for those of you who go to utd, how is premed there? im considering that as well.

thanks

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[DrBowtie]

It's competitive everywhere. Just don't get weeded out.

 

[AggieJohn]

Well, I dunno bout everyone else, but I have heard VERY bad things about UT Austin =P

T-sips... sigh

 

[Anastasis]

Well, I dunno bout everyone else, but I have heard VERY bad things about UT Austin =P

T-sips... sigh

Whoop!

 

[browniegirl86]

Whoop!

PLEASE no. Not here, Ags.


I may not have the best knowledge because I transferred in after my freshman year, so I did all of my prerequisites other than Orgo at Tulane. BUT I did go to UT for 2 1/2 years and went through the application process there.

There's actually no "pre-med" at UT unless you're Plan II, and then I think it's just a concentration. You're a pre-med if you take the pre-med prerequisites and apply to medical school, but there's no program or major that encompasses all students at UT who will eventually apply to medical school. We do have a health professions office. They do mock interviews, application analysis, pre-health advising, and collect and send out letters of recommendation from faculty. They also put on lots of workshops and a big health professions fair every year, with deans from all the Texas schools and other healthcare organizations.

I would imagine that the intro classes are pretty competitive solely because of the huge numbers of people in those classes. My orgo classes had at least 300 people in them, probably more. One of the toughest parts of the premed curriculum may be getting a decent teacher because about a million freshmen are all trying to get the best teachers. BUT there's no strict bell curve distribution in any classes as far as I know, and as long as you can get 90% (or lower, because there's probably a curve so the teacher can get tenure) you will earn an A. So if you're intelligent and you study, you should earn good grades.

One thing I liked about UT, which some people view as a negative, was the large size. I had to learn how to make myself known to my professors and how to teach myself things if the teacher sucked or I couldn't make office hours. This proved helpful in getting jobs and being more assertive in general. Plus Austin is lots of fun. LOTS of fun

As far as research and volunteering, the opportunities are virtually infinite. We are SUCH a large institution with SUCH a huge research contingency that it's almost impossible not to find some kind of lab to get into. There's a student group called SURGe, which is the research group, and I think they help students find research. Volunteering is also endless. There are 2 large and about 7 smaller hospitals in Austin, not to mention free clinics and a zillion doctor's offices. UT's health center has a specific student health advisory committee (SHAC) and also a shadowing program (HCMP). There are programs in the health center that allow students to take vitals, etc. Non-clinical volunteering can be found through one of the big pre-med organizations (APS, AED, AMSA, etc) or on your own (animal shelter, habitat for humanity, caritas, etc etc etc). Joining student organizations in areas that you truly enjoy will help you to find volunteering that will be valuable to you. We have 900+ registered student orgs.

Anyways that was long, but I really loved my time at UT and had no problem getting good grades or getting into med school.

 

[Compass]

I'm not familiar with UT, but I can tell you that even at state schools, pre-med students are COMPETITIVE. The serious ones, anyways. You have to work hard. Put in the extra hour of study, and you'll be fine, though

 

[OctoDoc]

To the OP,

If you don't want to deal with the pre-med atmosphere, consider majoring in something else. It could be anything - biology, chemistry, engineering, literature, etc. Just so long as you get in the pre-reqs. Sure, you'll still have pre-meds in some of your classes, but you won't be immersed in it 24-7. Lots of people get into med school without having been pre-med majors. Just something to think about.

 

[potato51]

Anyways that was long, but I really loved my time at UT and had no problem getting good grades or getting into med school.

*sniff*... damn you made me miss Austin/UT something fierce

 

[tuke]

thanks browniegirl86 for your response. that has boosted my confidence somewhat. i have always had a bleak outlook on premed at UT. im sure i will be attending UT for the fall, but im still willling to listen to some more opinions on this matter!

[EDIT] OctoDoc, yeah, i know this as well, but i think of all the majors, i would prefer to do something in the sciences. i have an interest in engineering as well, but from i understand, it is very hard to maintain a decent gpa in engineering. not to mention, i have heard that 2/3 of UT freshmen engineering majors drop out. sooo...engineering while following a premed track intimdates me more than say if i do biology while following a premed track. plus i figure, if i do a science-related majors, i can get more hookups with research and such as i move along the upper-lvl courses.

 

[Compass]

Don't sweat it too much. It's college. You only get through it once. You have to work, but you can do plenty even when pre-med. I avidly play video games after/before I study.

 

[potato51]

thanks browniegirl86 for your response. that has boosted my confidence somewhat. i have always had a bleak outlook on premed at UT. im sure i will be attending UT for the fall, but im still willling to listen to some more opinions on this matter!

[EDIT] OctoDoc, yeah, i know this as well, but i think of all the majors, i would prefer to do something in the sciences. i have an interest in engineering as well, but from i understand, it is very hard to maintain a decent gpa in engineering. not to mention, i have heard that 2/3 of UT freshmen engineering majors drop out. sooo...engineering while following a premed track intimdates me more than say if i do biology while following a premed track. plus i figure, if i do a science-related majors, i can get more hookups with research and such as i move along the upper-lvl courses.

hey tuke, I graduated from UT 4 years ago in a science major and had A's. You'll have to put in the work of course, but it's very doable. Even in the classes (intros, orgo) with several hundreds of students, I never got a feeling that I was competing against anybody for top grades. Generally you are awarded the grade you earned, depending on what the professor's policy is that semester.

 

[tuke]

hey tuke, I graduated from UT 4 years ago in a science major and had A's. You'll have to put in the work of course, but it's very doable. Even in the classes (intros, orgo) with several hundreds of students, I never got a feeling that I was competing against anybody for top grades. Generally you are awarded the grade you earned, depending on what the professor's policy is that semester.

ohhh, i see. yeah, i always thought that quotas and curves was the name of the game at UT. i guess not.

also, im planning on doing a BA in some science. did you do a BS or BA? i choose BA because im assuming its easier than doing a BS because a BA follows more along the lines of a liberal arts education and has less required credit hours (i think), and is thus easier to manage, correct?

 

[arkroyal]

i'm one of the engineering/pre meds here at UT and through a bit of hard work and some luck, I've been fortunate to get into medical school. it is true that engineering at UT is tough but then again thats why UT has one of the best programs in the nation. in terms of the pre req coursework, engineers take their own physics and orgo/orgo labs so they tend to be a bit more difficult than the natural science ones. also, some of the engineering major have a pre med geared track.

 

[potato51]

ohhh, i see. yeah, i always thought that quotas and curves was the name of the game at UT. i guess not.

also, im planning on doing a BA in some science. did you do a BS or BA? i choose BA because im assuming its easier than doing a BS because a BA follows more along the lines of a liberal arts education and has less required credit hours (i think), and is thus easier to manage, correct?

the BA is definitely less intense science-wise. As long as you're getting a balanced education, you should be fine. I did the BS and then took a bunch of liberal arts courses with it. Great undergrad experience!

 

[tuke]

the BA is definitely less intense science-wise. As long as you're getting a balanced education, you should be fine. I did the BS and then took a bunch of liberal arts courses with it. Great undergrad experience!

ahh, alrite. thanks for your reply potato. your replies, along with everyone elses, has been veryveryvery helpful, really it has.

any more opinions would be great, but for the most part, i think i get the idea now. thanks everyone who posted.

UT premed, here i come!

 

[Zuerst]

ahh, alrite. thanks for your reply potato. your replies, along with everyone elses, has been veryveryvery helpful, really it has.

any more opinions would be great, but for the most part, i think i get the idea now. thanks everyone who posted.

UT premed, here i come!

Yeah I agree with most of the points made above. But maybe try to major in something that has required courses that overlaps the premed req's. Being an engineering major and having pretty much no common classes to premed reqs can get... err... demanding at times. I think I'll be graduating with 180+ hours.

 

[browniegirl86]

To the OP,

If you don't want to deal with the pre-med atmosphere, consider majoring in something else. It could be anything - biology, chemistry, engineering, literature, etc. Just so long as you get in the pre-reqs. Sure, you'll still have pre-meds in some of your classes, but you won't be immersed in it 24-7. Lots of people get into med school without having been pre-med majors. Just something to think about.

Ah, but here's the rub. There's no such thing as a pre-med major at UT. You major in whatever (bio, chem, music, studio art, govt) and if you're planning to go to med school then you're pre-med.

 

[jon0013]

Ah, but here's the rub. There's no such thing as a pre-med major at UT. You major in whatever (bio, chem, music, studio art, govt) and if you're planning to go to med school then you're pre-med.

it wasnt too bad..i was always the independent type and thought i was competitive but there was no one that was really out the screw me..just handle your business and you'll be fine..work hard but have fun...

theres plenty of research opportunities on campus..i went into ut apprehensive about the whole situation bc i had aspired to go to duke and stanford but UT gave me a great education...

the HPO office isn't that helpful IMO...a lot of stuff they claimed to teach you, you could figure out by yourself...overall UT is a great school and the opportunities are endless...there are so many badass students here its insane...but dont worry about what joe blow is doing...concentrate on your own studies and try to get involved with no academic things...good luck

 

[Shredder]

hi, i've just recently discovered this forum and it seems to be pretty informative. i'm a prospective premed student for fall 2006 and i'd just like to ask some questions about premed at UT for those who are knowledgeable about it. so be nice to me.

generally, i have the notion that premed at UT is not very easy. from what i can infer, premed there is largely very competitive, mainly due to the competitiveness of students all competing for the A/4.0 in their classes, especially in the intro/prequisuite premed classes. besides that, i understand UT Austin provides many research and volunteer opportunities (right?). im just mainly concerned about the grade-aspect of premed at UT - is it difficult, or is it reasonably possible to make A's? overall, i consider myself as a pretty studious student, as im in the top 4-5% of my class and blahblahblah, but im still worried about making the grade at UT. can someone please refute or support my notion?

and for those of you who go to utd, how is premed there? im considering that as well.

thanks

are you kidding, come on UT is a big public state school, its a joke. ive met so many idiot premeds here, many of them cant make the cut come MCAT time. there are lots of opportunities and clubs for this and that, being a big school, but its about quality not quantity. just like the aforementioned premeds, there are plenty of worthless profs, classes and labs as well. you can be selective and pick the worthwhile things but they are less accessible. pick a liberal arts or business major--the ppl are better looking and have more fun, and the classes are easier and i think have more practical life knowledge, in business at least. natural sci and engr have mostly nerds, some exceptions

premed office is no good, its meant for high throughput and cookie cutter premeds. dont go unless you must. they do have some decent books and brochures there i guess, but the advisors be wary of them. thats why theyre advisors in a premed office.

if youre going to a public school in TX it should be UT hands down. go to Rice if you can.

*edit: what a brash post, sorry I must've been pissed off at something or stressed

 

[TX515]

are you kidding, come on UT is a big public state school, its a joke.

Don't take this seriously. Of course some people will hate on UT. The bottom line is that UT is a great school and very well respected. UT offers a tremendous amount of opportunity for students...research is available and there is a wide range of courses offered. The education provided is great. Most of the classes I took were taught by professors who are front runners in their research field.
Yes, the school is competitive, but it is not a bad thing. Making all A's is possible, and I know one girl who did.
The bottom line is I think it is the best school to attend. I can't think of anything bad to say about the school.

 

[browniegirl86]

the HPO office isn't that helpful IMO...a lot of stuff they claimed to teach you, you could figure out by yourself...overall UT is a great school and the opportunities are endless...there are so many badass students here its insane...but dont worry about what joe blow is doing...concentrate on your own studies and try to get involved with no academic things...good luck

Word. I hated the HPO office.

If you go there, ONLY talk to Amy, she's the only one who knows what she's talking about. You have to use them for LORs because they write a cover letter and they are the ones who actually send out the letters. Also, I think you're required to attend one of their application workshops, which can be informative if you don't know anything at all about the process.

Word of warning: they will try to dissuade you from applying out-of-state. If you don't want to stay in Texas, don't listen to them.

 

[browniegirl86]

are you kidding, come on UT is a big public state school, its a joke. ive met so many idiot premeds here, many of them cant make the cut come MCAT time. there are lots of opportunities and clubs for this and that, being a big school, but its about quality not quantity. just like the aforementioned premeds, there are plenty of worthless profs, classes and labs as well. you can be selective and pick the worthwhile things but they are less accessible. pick a liberal arts or business major--the ppl are better looking and have more fun, and the classes are easier and i think have more practical life knowledge, in business at least. natural sci and engr have mostly nerds, some exceptions

premed office is no good, its meant for high throughput and cookie cutter premeds. dont go unless you must. they do have some decent books and brochures there i guess, but the advisors be wary of them. thats why theyre advisors in a premed office.

if youre going to a public school in TX it should be UT hands down. go to Rice if you can.

Shredder, I'm not a nerd. Let's party.

 

[Shredder]

Don't take this seriously. Of course some people will hate on UT. The bottom line is that UT is a great school and very well respected. UT offers a tremendous amount of opportunity for students...research is available and there is a wide range of courses offered. The education provided is great. Most of the classes I took were taught by professors who are front runners in their research field.
Yes, the school is competitive, but it is not a bad thing. Making all A's is possible, and I know one girl who did.
The bottom line is I think it is the best school to attend. I can't think of anything bad to say about the school.

Well I'd never say such things about a school I didn't attend. I just felt like throwing in some devil's advocate. It's an ok public school. I still say if you do public in TX UT is a must. I have still had many worthless peers and profs however. Engineering was relatively tough before I switched bc its pointless majoring in it

yeah ive heard about you brownie, sima once brought it up. huge props for the mcat--everyone around here knows im big on objective credentials esp testing bc i think testing is great. you were included in the exceptions. good thing you escaped from tulane before it got all soggy, i had some friends who were soaked and had to make temporary escapes. saw a few green waves at UT in some of my classes even

HPO does discourage out of state and shooting for high things bc it's just like high school counselors discouraging honors classes. They play the safe odds I guess, annoying for talented ppl though. I only liked the free MSAR there

 

[potato51]

HPO does discourage out of state and shooting for high things bc it's just like high school counselors discouraging honors classes. They play the safe odds I guess, annoying for talented ppl though. I only liked the free MSAR there

I'm glad people are now mentioning this, because four years after graduation and having finally applied, I'm now feeling the same way. During undergrad I was pretty naive when it came to applications (my fault), and it never even occurred to me from talking to the HPO that not only could I have applied to non-Texas/TMDSAS schools but that I would've been competitive for some of the higher tier institutions. I'm still extremely happy with getting into UTSW, but I didn't like feeling that TMDSAS and Baylor were my only realistic options. SDN has given me a whole new perspective on the process.

Not to mention I was told repeatedly by them that I was fine with my med school pre-reqs, only to learn a few months ago from TMDSAS I was deficient by one credit. Again, my fault, but it didn't help matters that my own HPO informed me I was complete.

 

[Zuerst]

I'm glad people are now mentioning this, because four years after graduation and having finally applied, I'm now feeling the same way. During undergrad I was pretty naive when it came to applications (my fault), and it never even occurred to me from talking to the HPO that not only could I have applied to non-Texas/TMDSAS schools but that I would've been competitive for some of the higher tier institutions. I'm still extremely happy with getting into UTSW, but I didn't like feeling that TMDSAS and Baylor were my only realistic options. SDN has given me a whole new perspective on the process.

Not to mention I was told repeatedly by them that I was fine with my med school pre-reqs, only to learn a few months ago from TMDSAS I was deficient by one credit. Again, my fault, but it didn't help matters that my own HPO informed me I was complete.

Care to share the specifics on the credit deficiency? Just so I can make sure I'm fulfulling all the reqs... Thanks.

 

[jon0013]

in regards to Shredder's comments about "many idiots who can't cut it come MCAT time", i think that happens everywhere...in fact there were many people who came in as "pre-meds" who dropped after 1 semester because they couldn't cut it in CH 301 or BIO 211 and 212...with the huge amt of students, you're gonna have the good ones and some bad ones...according to the HPO stats close to 40 students at UT scored over 35 on the April and August MCATs combined last year...i think thats pretty impressive,..

 

[Shredder]

yeah good point. at UT there are more though...haha bc there are just more students, so i guess it seems that way. more of everything; bigger is better, true TX style

man half of those 35+ were my old classmates in BME, smart bunch

 

[potato51]

Care to share the specifics on the credit deficiency? Just so I can make sure I'm fulfulling all the reqs... Thanks.

it was a bio lab. I had a course that, by the guidelines 4-5 years ago, fit the definition of a bio lab for TMDSAS/AMCAS, but for some reason it doesn't count now. So now I'm enrolled at a university just to fill the requirement. It was my fault that I didn't look into it further originally, but it's all taken care of now.

I think you'll be fine with credits as long as you keep track of what you've taken. If there are specific schools you have in mind, look up their requirements as they might differ from other institutions.

 

[AggieJohn]

I still say if you do public in TX UT is a must...

I'm curious why this is so. It is my impression that UT is a more liberal arts school and Texas A&M is a more scientific based school (especially if you want to discuss engineering). I think there are things that UT has above A&M, like diversity, bigger city, good night scene, etc... but as far as quality education (for pre meds) I think A&M is as good if not better (I can't say its better though, since I haven't attended t.u.).

 

[Anastasis]

I'm curious why this is so. It is my impression that UT is a more liberal arts school and Texas A&M is a more scientific based school (especially if you want to discuss engineering). I think there are things that UT has above A&M, like diversity, bigger city, good night scene, etc... but as far as quality education (for pre meds) I think A&M is as good if not better (I can't say its better though, since I haven't attended t.u.).

Yeah I might be biased but I agree with this reasoning. If you want a really wide variety of liberal arts classes, don't go to A&M. They have the basics and some really interesting classes but A&M is lacking in certain areas (for instance, we have no journalism or religious studies majors). But the education in the sciences is on par with UT I think. It really comes down to what kind of atmosphere you prefer.

 

[tuke]

[edit]*nevermind, i made this post a new thread

 

[Aptamer]

hi, i've just recently discovered this forum and it seems to be pretty informative. i'm a prospective premed student for fall 2006 and i'd just like to ask some questions about premed at UT for those who are knowledgeable about it. so be nice to me.

generally, i have the notion that premed at UT is not very easy. from what i can infer, premed there is largely very competitive, mainly due to the competitiveness of students all competing for the A/4.0 in their classes, especially in the intro/prequisuite premed classes. besides that, i understand UT Austin provides many research and volunteer opportunities (right?). im just mainly concerned about the grade-aspect of premed at UT - is it difficult, or is it reasonably possible to make A's? overall, i consider myself as a pretty studious student, as im in the top 4-5% of my class and blahblahblah, but im still worried about making the grade at UT. can someone please refute or support my notion?

and for those of you who go to utd, how is premed there? im considering that as well.

thanks

Just put in the time and effort...as others have stated, UT is huge. Make yourself stand out in any arena you shall choose...grades, research, volunteering, and et cetera. There's a whole bunch of people pursuing the same thing...ultimately, though, it rests in your hands. You have to do the legwork...it won't be handed to you.

My only advice is (which you have to wait three years for)...learn where Crown, Posse, and Cain is located.

 

[Shredder]

I live right by Cain...noisy! Never actually been though, hmm. I feel something peculiar about visiting a bar right next door.

 

[gujuDoc]

are you kidding, come on UT is a big public state school, its a joke. ive met so many idiot premeds here, many of them cant make the cut come MCAT time. there are lots of opportunities and clubs for this and that, being a big school, but its about quality not quantity. just like the aforementioned premeds, there are plenty of worthless profs, classes and labs as well. you can be selective and pick the worthwhile things but they are less accessible. pick a liberal arts or business major--the ppl are better looking and have more fun, and the classes are easier and i think have more practical life knowledge, in business at least. natural sci and engr have mostly nerds, some exceptions

premed office is no good, its meant for high throughput and cookie cutter premeds. dont go unless you must. they do have some decent books and brochures there i guess, but the advisors be wary of them. thats why theyre advisors in a premed office.

if youre going to a public school in TX it should be UT hands down. go to Rice if you can.

Shredder,

Totally unrelated to your post, but I was looking at your MDapps and wanted to ask you why you are deferring for a year???

Are you still going to go to Ohio State or elsewhere??

 

[Shredder]

Shredder,

Totally unrelated to your post, but I was looking at your MDapps and wanted to ask you why you are deferring for a year???

Are you still going to go to Ohio State or elsewhere??

Just thinking about it. I've wanted to go abroad at many points during undergrad, but premed and other obligations always got in the way. I'd like to visit Japan, right now trying to figure out if it can happen or not. If I get off a waitlist (doubtful) I'll forget about it. Otherwise it would be a good getaway before embarking on year after year of additional schooling and training. I'm kind of at the thought of starting med school and turning old before I know it. Discomforting

As of now Ohio--my only acceptance . Your plans = ? I should've taken this to PM, shame.

 

[Pkboi24]

UT Austin isn't bad. It's just like any other school. If you work hard you will get an A. Although in my opinion a 4.0 isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

 

[browniegirl86]

Just put in the time and effort...as others have stated, UT is huge. Make yourself stand out in any arena you shall choose...grades, research, volunteering, and et cetera. There's a whole bunch of people pursuing the same thing...ultimately, though, it rests in your hands. You have to do the legwork...it won't be handed to you.

My only advice is (which you have to wait three years for)...learn where Crown, Posse, and Cain is located.

Crown: 7 blocks south of my apartment (Monday spot of choice for $1.50 pints)
Posse: 10ish blocks south of my apartment (for watching the game on the bigscreen)
Cain's: 2 blocks north of my last apartment (had my first legal drink there at midnight on my 21st!)


Ahhhh the memories. I'll miss you, Austin.

 

[EM Junkie]

Yeah I might be biased but I agree with this reasoning. If you want a really wide variety of liberal arts classes, don't go to A&M. They have the basics and some really interesting classes but A&M is lacking in certain areas (for instance, we have no journalism or religious studies majors). But the education in the sciences is on par with UT I think. It really comes down to what kind of atmosphere you prefer.

Agreed. Often overlooked is that A&M has Texas' only vet school, and A&M premeds (specifically Biomedical Science majors) have access to all of the vet school faculty and research. A&M also has the basic science campus for the Texas A&M medical school. UT has neither a medical school or a vet school in Austin.

 

[GoodEats]

The counterpoint i'd give to this is that UT has the affiliation with MD Anderson and UTMB, and there's a twelve year plan to move UTMB to Austin as I understand it (i think they'll be entering their thrid year of it next fall). Third years can already do some of their rotations in Austin if not all of them, as I remember it.

Also, I'm not sure of the official rankings for engineering, but I'd be surprised if aTm was signifcantly more highly ranked than UT if at all.

As a public school, you get the full range of students, from the ones that can't quite cut it to those in our class who get 4.0s and 40s without breaking a sweat (unless they're TA'ing volleyball, that is). Shredder, I think you and i agree that losing some of the lower end would make for an intellectually more challenging and exciting environment (not to mention less scary, seeing some of these students who are going on to design some very important devices and structures...), but I think it's also kept me more down to earth, understanding, and a better group worker and leader without sacrificing opportunities.

Mmm, posse, cain, and crown, though i'd also add sam paio's (now called sao paolo's) happy hour margaritas from 2-7pm.

 

[EM Junkie]

The counterpoint i'd give to this is that UT has the affiliation with MD Anderson and UTMB, and there's a twelve year plan to move UTMB to Austin as I understand it (i think they'll be entering their thrid year of it next fall). Third years can already do some of their rotations in Austin if not all of them, as I remember it.

UT-Houston (my medical school) has the affiliation with MD Anderson, not UT-Austin (unless there is a link I am unaware of). That is like saying Texas A&M at Kingsville has an affiliation with the vet school at College Station. They are completely different institutions.

I know of UTMB sending 3rd years to Austin for some rotations, but I have never heard of them moving the entire school to Austin. Do you have any source for this? I tend to doubt it, as UTMB is the oldest medical school in Texas. My understanding was that Austin was in line to get a 4 year medical school (likely after El Paso, Corpus Christi, and the Rio Grande Valley - and look how long its taking El Paso). My understanding is that this is an affiliation between UTMB and Brackenridge Hospital, having nothing to do with UT-Austin (again correct me if I am wrong on this).

Sorry to hijack the thread into a UT vs. A&M thread, both would be great schools to do premed. I simply take issue with the statements that UT is the only way to go if you are wanting to do your undergrad at a public school in Texas, thats just plain uneducated.

Good luck to all of you guys!

-Scott, MS4

 

[GoodEats]

I know for certain there is an Austin-MD Anderson link outside of name, as I've done internships through this link, and I know there is currently a class being taught at UT in the BME department by adjunct faculty who does research for MD Anderson full time. The link isn't as strong as I portrayed it above, I think, but it's there.

About the UTMB thing, I don't know too many details, but I did get some inside information when I attended part of an external advisory committee meeting and picked up a packet with some presentation slides on it....ah, found it. Not sure if I should really be publishing this info, but....here goes (Shredder, you'll find this interesting--I can bring it Wednesday if you'll be there).

(forgive the lack of proper powerpoint formatting)
"The Austin Presence of the UT Medical Branch - Galveston (UTMB) is quickly evolving as an Austin-Based Medical School

- UTMB migration to Austin begain in early 2004
- City of Austin has granted 28 acres for permanent UTMB facility near Dell Children's Hospital at old Mueller Airport site;
- 12 yr, $850M development project
- UTMB residency programs in Austin;
- present - OB/GYN, and IM;
- By Dec 2006 - Pedi, Family Practice, Psych;
- By Dec 2007 - Neuro, Gen Surgery;
- Potential after 2007 - Pulm/Crit Care, Geriatrics, Onc, GE, Derm, EM
- UTMB will ultimately have faculty of 100 in Austin
- Key UTMB contacts: ....yada yada
- Then some stuff about collaborative grants and potential collaborative activities"

Anyways, to get back to the original point, i agree, UT is not the only way to go if you are pre-med. At aTm you will still receive an excellent education with a lot of great people (my best friend from high school went there). I think the decision should in large part depend on where you're more comfortable, and where you think you'll be able to make the most of your time academically while also enjoying your time there. That said, my opinion is that if you don't know your preference when it comes to culture or even major, UT will give you a more fun city, a more diverse population, and a broader range of classes and majors that the school is strong in.

Off to grab my free ice cream cone...

 

[EM Junkie]

I know for certain there is an Austin-MD Anderson link outside of name, as I've done internships through this link, and I know there is currently a class being taught at UT in the BME department by adjunct faculty who does research for MD Anderson full time. The link isn't as strong as I portrayed it above, I think, but it's there.

About the UTMB thing, I don't know too many details, but I did get some inside information when I attended part of an external advisory committee meeting and picked up a packet with some presentation slides on it....ah, found it. Not sure if I should really be publishing this info, but....here goes (Shredder, you'll find this interesting--I can bring it Wednesday if you'll be there).

(forgive the lack of proper powerpoint formatting)
"The Austin Presence of the UT Medical Branch - Galveston (UTMB) is quickly evolving as an Austin-Based Medical School

- UTMB migration to Austin begain in early 2004
- City of Austin has granted 28 acres for permanent UTMB facility near Dell Children's Hospital at old Mueller Airport site;
- 12 yr, $850M development project
- UTMB residency programs in Austin;
- present - OB/GYN, and IM;
- By Dec 2006 - Pedi, Family Practice, Psych;
- By Dec 2007 - Neuro, Gen Surgery;
- Potential after 2007 - Pulm/Crit Care, Geriatrics, Onc, GE, Derm, EM
- UTMB will ultimately have faculty of 100 in Austin
- Key UTMB contacts: ....yada yada
- Then some stuff about collaborative grants and potential collaborative activities"

Anyways, to get back to the original point, i agree, UT is not the only way to go if you are pre-med. At aTm you will still receive an excellent education with a lot of great people (my best friend from high school went there). I think the decision should in large part depend on where you're more comfortable, and where you think you'll be able to make the most of your time academically while also enjoying your time there. That said, my opinion is that if you don't know your preference when it comes to culture or even major, UT will give you a more fun city, a more diverse population, and a broader range of classes and majors that the school is strong in.

Off to grab my free ice cream cone...

Thanks for the references, very interesting. So the UTMB in Austin would be another institution under the UTMB banner, not a replacement of the existing UTMB (as I understand it). Supposeldy A&M is trying to have a 4 year school in College Station as well as a 4 year school in Temple. Not sure if any of these plans for 4 year medical schools will ever go through, but it sure is interesting to discuss.

 

[dsq]

UTMB and UT-Austin are starting a joint MD/PhD program and I think they are going to have a MD/MBA program. The following is a good summary of the UTMB-UT Austin connection and is from a job posting.

University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Dean, Austin Programs. UTMB invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean, Austin Programs. UTMB is Texas's oldest academic health center and is committed to the core values of service, diversity, education, innovation, and community. UTMB includes six hospitals, a statewide network of clinics, and advanced research facilities that will soon include one of only two laboratories in the U.S. for biodefense and emerging infectious diseases. The University is dedicated to addressing the health needs and the medically underserved in Texas and also has one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation. The Seton Healthcare Network, based in Austin, is the largest provider of complex healthcare in Central Texas-serving more than 250,000 patients each year. Included in the network are Brackenridge Hospital, which provides safety-net care and the trauma center for Travis County; the Children's Hospital of Austin, the only children's hospital serving a 46-county region; and Seton Medical Center, a flagship tertiary care facility in north central Austin. Collectively, Seton has approximately 40% market share, and offers essentially all adult and pediatric services to provide complex care for the people of central Texas. UTMB has a strong and growing collaboration with Seton to provide student and resident education in Austin. UTMB student experiences at Brackenridge Hospital now comprise 15-20% of UTMB's third-year clerkships, including 23 students who spend their entire third year in Austin. Fourth year clerkships and electives are also available. In 2005 under the terms of a 30-year affiliation agreement, Seton began transferring sponsorship of its seven residency programs to UTMB. This affiliation solidifies the partnership and assures long-term roles for these organizations in the development of an academic medical landscape in Austin. Current research initiatives include collaborative grants in biodefense and biomedical engineering. Areas under development include drug and diagnostic development, nanotechnology, computer sciences and drug modeling, cardiovascular modeling and research utilizing a new human 3-Tesla MRI. With a population of 1.4 million, Austin is one of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas without a four-year medical school. A hub for higher education, government, and major corporations, Austin is also renowned for its abundance of outdoor and cultural activities. The Dean, Austin Programs will: along with the leadership at UTMB and Seton, define and expand the vision for the presence in Austin; develop full third and fourth year programs and expand student enrollment; expand opportunities for graduate medical education via new residency programs and fellowships; oversee faculty development programs; develop collaborative research efforts with the University of Texas at Austin; lead the faculty, staff, administration, and students to advance all missions of the School of Medicine; develop strong collaborative relationships with the local physician community; alumni, and the University of Texas System Administration as well as civic, business, and governmental entities in Austin.

 

[annamoo]

I'm curious why this is so. It is my impression that UT is a more liberal arts school and Texas A&M is a more scientific based school (especially if you want to discuss engineering). I think there are things that UT has above A&M, like diversity, bigger city, good night scene, etc... but as far as quality education (for pre meds) I think A&M is as good if not better (I can't say its better though, since I haven't attended t.u.).

I haven't read the entire thread so I dunno i fsomeone already pointed this out, but this is completely untrue, just bc A&M's name says something about engineering in it means nothing, look at the rankings, which also might mean nothing, and you will find that UT's engineering programs are among the very best in the US. A&M is nice, don't wanna knock it, bc they do have majors you will not find anywhere else, like poultry engineering or something related to farming and livestock, but UT has outstanding sciences and engineering, and is the flagship public uni in TX. (of course I am biased bc I went there, but seriously...) A&M engineering is good without a doubt, but from my engineering friends in top grad labs at UT, I hear UT is better by far, non question at all

 

[DianaUT06]

Don't worry so much about getting a 4.0. Study, but have fun and find an organization that you'll love! I've been at UT for now almost 4 years and have been in the band ever since, even though it meant that I needed to take an extra semester to finish. It has been an amazing experience and I know I'll be a well-rounded candidate when I apply in the fall. Just find something fun to keep you going and you'll be just fine.