***The deciding factor was merely that my sig other did not want to live in Texas (we're Californians)***
I'm from CA too, the Bay Area even. When people heard I was moving to Texas for medical schoool they just about flipped! Apparently Texas just isn't a hot destination for Californians... Oh well.
All in all though it hasn't been that bad. The overall climate is more politically conservative than what I'm used too, and even among medical students, it appears that Greek culture (as in frats, sororities, and keg parties) seems to predominate socially.
Anyway, I didn't interview at UHS (I feel the same way about the mid-west that your sig feels about Texas!), but I can confirm that I've heard it's kick butt school.
Good luck
--dave